Obstacles
by MaryJemmy
Summary: I present to your attention a trilogy that belongs to the "Obstacles" collection. Each story tells about what obstacles people may face. Society's prejudices; curses, put many years ago or just an ordinary boundary between the two worlds. This topic has always agitated me and, perhaps, one day I will add one more story to this collection. Enjoy
1. Fireflies

The story is written by KurosakyK. I am not the author of this story; I translated it from Russian into English.

There is also a bonus to this story which will be posted later;) I hope you enjoy reading!

 **"Fireflies"**

" _Humans are the superior race. Humans have created this world and the land on which we walk, the sky and the stars. Humans are the lords of nature's gift, her legitimate children, and no one but Humans are allowed to live here. No sea creature, nor fire demons, nor sky monsters._

 _So do not let these intruders take what belongs to us, the superior race, according to our birthright! Do not let our history sink into oblivion!_

 _Do not let it!"_

 **Message from the King of Fiore**

 **Six years old.**

Sunny days came to the Kingdom of Fiore. The cloudless sky was sparkling with its deep shade of blue, the sun was shining brightly, giving the colors of nature more fascinating hues, and the light breeze occasionally rippled the lush green grass.

A little girl was laughing loudly, running fast, feet clothed in small shoes. Her shining eyes were fixed on the butterfly flying up and down – playfully teasing her. The rays of the sun found their shelter in the girl's golden hair, pearl gave its color to her smile, coral – to her pink cheeks, and the melted chocolate was splashing in her eyes. The girl was like a little porcelain doll, wrapped in a robe of satin and silk.

Chasing the butterfly, she didn't notice that she crossed the border separating the flower field and the forest of tall, century old oaks and the magical faerie accis trees, whose foliage was glowing in the dark with bright turquoise flames. The girl stopped, having lost sight of the butterfly, and sighed sadly. She wanted to make friends with the little creature, but the butterfly seemed to have misunderstood her.

Only now, the girl realized that she had wandered farther than it was allowed. She wasn't afraid of the forest, though. On the contrary, she often walked here with her mother who, holding her tiny hand in hers walked with a soft tread on the damp ground and only the rustling of her cloak and her soft and her silky voice pierced the magical silence of the forest. Her mother told her little girl wonderful tales about brave princes and kind princesses, legends about deadly dragons and nymphs, myths of sly mermaids and insidious wizards. This was why the girl was not afraid of the forest, which bore the title "Fireflies", that her father had strictly forbidden her to approach. She was not afraid of the silence, nor darkness, nor the inhabitants of this forest.

The girl straightened the folds of her dress, removed the prickles that had clung to the hem, and slowly walked down the familiar path towards the house. Her gaze wandered over the majestic crowns of the trees, capturing the creatures hiding among them. The girl knew from her mother's stories that fairies lived here who avoided human communication, but, in spite of this she really wanted to see those little creatures, if only out of the corner of her eye. And she believed that once upon a time there would come a day when all the races would be able to live in peace and harmony, and then she, a mere human, would be able to shake the tiny hand of a beautiful fairy.

Suddenly the girl stopped, spotting something that had not been there before. In front of her stood a huge accis tree. The blue bark was speckled with innumerous recesses that were interlacing forming and an interesting picture of a labyrinth. According to the legend, on the bark of the accis tree the map of the future was carved, but only the chosen elect could read these messages. However, this is not what attracted the attention of the girl. Just over the wide trunk a door could be seen. Rounded, with elaborate patterns and a gilt knob, it captivated her eyes and the girl could not understand how she had not noticed it before, because, it seemed, with a few years of walking here with her mother, she had learned this path by heart.

Something beckoned her to the door, and, despite the serious voice of her father sounding in her head like a warning, she took a step forward and pulled the door open without hesitating. Because her mother taught her to listen to her heart, and now its beating is saying clearly: "Go!"

" _Dragons are the strongest creatures in existence! Our fire is able to incinerate the very magic of the fairies, the force of our wings flapping can cause typhoons and tsunamis, and our scales cannot be broken by anything in this world!_

 _So why, owning such strength, knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors, should we tolerate the encroachment of the miserable little humans on our territory? Why should we, Dragons, watch them kill our race? Why should we, Dragons, stay silent?!_

 _If the humans want a war, they will get it!_

 _This is me telling you, I, your King!"_

 **Message from the King of the Scarlet Kingdom**

A gasped escaped from the girl's mouth. There was a huge cave inside of the tree with a sparkling lake in the middle of it. On the ground the grass unknown to her was growing, with a touch like the feather of a duckling; lotus flowers were blooming here and there. The air was saturated with the freshness and the girl wanted to stay here a little longer. She did not understand what this place was, but childish curiosity encouraged her to move forward, to the mirror-like surface of the water where the moon, the sun, and the myriad of stars were reflected.

The girl raised her head sharply, wondering how it was possible, but there was nothing above, but a small round aperture, that was letting sunshine in.

The girl stood as if bewitched. Water lilies and majestic swans, on whose bright white feathers the flecks of sunlight were dancing, could be seen, and hundreds of fireflies were lightning up the magic cave.

-What are you doing here? – an unfamiliar voice broke the silence.

The girl spun around, meeting the eyes of its owner. A not very tall boy with bright pink hair was attentively looking at her with curiosity. His grey eyes were sparkling with life, and she thought it was the first time she saw such lively eyes. Her gaze caught on the pointed ears, the small flakes under his eyes, and she could have sworn that there were red, still, very small wings behind the unknown boy's back.

-Are you a fairy? – she asked her question, curiously watching the boy's wings shake.

-Are you a fool or something? – he snorted, pulling his long scaly scarf. – Don't confuse me with those little things!

The girl looked into the eyes of the boy, who smiled broadly. That was the first time she saw somebody with such a wide smile.

-Then who are you?

The boy with the bright hair grinned, placing his hands on his hips.

-Call me Natsu! – he announced in a loud voice, raising his head proudly. – And I'm a dragon!

The girl's mouth hung open in surprise. It was the first time she had seen a dragon. In her head there was an image of huge monsters, as they had been described in the ancient folios, and this image was completely at odds with the boy that was standing in front of her. The girl dropped a curtsey as her mother had taught her.

-And I am Lucy. And I, - Lucy raised her head, - am a human.

Natsu nodded genially, spreading his wings, and flew with lightning speed to his new friend. The girl opened her eyes wide in surprise. Satisfied with the impression he produced, the boy reached out his hand.

-Nice to meet you, human Lucy.

The girl turned her eyes from Natsu's hand to his friendly face and without a moment's hesitation accepted a hot handshake.

-Nice to meet you too, dragon Natsu.

 **Ten years old.**

-Today I asked my father why we are at war with the humans. – Natsu suddenly broke the

silence, skipping a flat stone across the surface of the water.

Lucy, sitting on soft grass, gave him an inquiring look.

-And?

Natsu frowned, and his wings quivered irritatingly.

-He said the humans are terrible and selfish creatures.

-Surprisingly, my father said the same about dragons. – the girl smiled, sadly watching the circles spreading on the water.

Natsu dropped down next to his friend, leaning on his arms. Lucy let her eyes linger a little longer on the boy's profile. His hair had grown a little and small horns could already be seen. Sometimes Natsu, amusing his friend, breathed out a flame that could turn into anything according to its owner's wish, from fiery mermaids to bright bursts of fireworks. In fact, Natsu had said that his flame was only just gaining its strength, and Lucy was wondering sometimes what kind of power it would become when he grew up.

But these thoughts rarely came to her head, because here and now there was no hostility between their races. Because here and now they were friends, kids, who were just enjoying each other's company.

Natsu turned his head toward the girl, and the seriousness unusual for him flickered in his eyes.

-Lucy, let's give each other a promise that no matter what happens, we will not let anything destroy our friendship!

The girl looked attentively into Natsu's eyes. In a fraction of a second, the news about numerous victims who had died a hero's death in the war against dragons flashed through her mind. In a fraction of a second, the images of crying mothers, of the wives that had lost their husbands, of the children that had become orphans, rose before her eyes. In a fraction of a second, a loud voice of her father thundered in her head.

But looking at the boy, who had become her closest friend, the friend that she, living in total isolation, could ever dream of, looking into his honest and sincere eyes, she held out her hand, little finger sticking out.

-I promise, - the princess of the Kingdom of Fiore whispered in anguish.

Natsu smiled, wide and familiar, and hooked his little finger with hers.

-I promise, - the prince of the Scarlet Kingdom said without a trace of hesitation.

* * *

" _The war is the pathetic attempt of the humans to answer the eternal question: who is right and who is wrong? Sometimes we are considering only one angle and this is wrong, because every side thinks that their motives are pure and their actions are aimed only for the good._

 _And if the war lasts too long, its instigators start to forget why it began in the first place. What were the initial goals? What were the warriors were dying for? For what great purposes? Are these purposes still being pursued or is the war going on for the sake of the war itself?_

 _The war is the shortest way. But who said that it would be the easiest one?"_

* * *

 **Fifteen years old.**

-Honey, is everything fine?

Lucy turned around, smiling happily. The queen, standing in the doorway, looked at her daughter and nodded knowingly.

-Everything is fine, mom. – the girl sang and, having pinned her long hair and set straight her pants tucked in her high boots.

Layla came into her daughter's room, stepping gracefully, and the long hem of her dress, rustling, lay on the polished parquet.

-You shouldn't hide anything from me, my girl. – the woman said softly.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders vaguely, meticulously examining herself in the mirror. The bright scarlet hem of her cloak was descending behind the girl, the corset was fitting close to her slender waist, and the ribbons plaited into her hair were matching her outfit. She wanted to look good, although she didn't understand this strange desire that appeared only when she was going to That place.

-I do not understand what you mean, mother.

-I think you do. – Layla smiled, coming closer to the girl. Softly running her hand over her daughter's hair, she bent over and looking at their reflection, winked quizzically. – You fell in love, Lucy.

When the princess understood the meaning of these words, her face blushed, making bright spots, and she shook her head vigorously.

-No, no, no!

-Yes, yes, yes! – sang Layla. – And who is he? Cute? Clever? Which family? Anyway, do not mind your dad! We will accept your choice no matter what!

Lucy shook her head desperately, covering her face with her hands, but her bright red ears were giving the girl away. Layla laughed merrily, hugging her daughter.

-Mom, you are embarrassing me!

The woman ran her hand over the girl's flushed cheek.

-I just want you to know that you do not need to hide anything from me and dad. – the queen whispered.

Lucy stiffened for a moment, overwhelmed by feelings of shame. But she immediately suppressed it, smiling lightly.

-I know, - she said, - and I do not hide anything from you.

 _After all, a lie for the good is not a lie, is it?_

* * *

Within a few years this place, with the scent of lotus and rain; with an emerald gleam on the water surface and the soft grass; with an aura of peace and magic; with a bright smile of a restless dragon and the liberation from the overburdening titles and heavy duties on their shoulders had become a second home for the young princess of Fiore Kingdom.

This cave, hidden from the public eye, was their personal islet of freedom, where they did not have to pretend to be someone who they really were not. Where the outer world was only a shadow, and the rules and laws, prevailing there, did not exist.

This place, given to two souls gratis, was the best present for them.

-And then I performed a takedown! And, eventually, my father praised me and said that I would become a first-class warrior and he would not be ashamed to give his throne to his son! – said Natsu with a wide smile, gesticulating vigorously and illustrating his actions in a funny manner as he spoke.

Lucy smiled, looking up at her friend.

-I'm sure it will be so, Natsu.

Natsu grinned, flapped his wings and appeared next to the girl in an instant. On a spread out velvet picnic blanket there were gilt dishes with delicacies. It was their tradition: they brought the specialties of their kingdoms to every meeting and then exchanged their impressions. What Natsu liked most was that the meat in Fiore was cooked with various herbs and spices which had not even been heard of in the Scarlet Kingdom. Lucy in her turn took a fancy to juicy fruits growing prolifically on the shores of the Scarlet God Sea. In this the princess saw a certain irony: fire dragon Natsu smelled of sea salt and freshness, while she, the human, carried the scent of blazing sun and sand. This made her draw certain conclusions.

There is no absolute white and black, as well as there is no absolute good and evil.

Hope was arising in the princess's heart. After all, perhaps one day they, being the future of their Kingdoms, would be able to bring peace to the warring races. Perhaps one day the princess of Fiore would be able to go for walk with the prince of the Scarlet Kingdom without being afraid of being judged.

-Damn, I adore your cuisine! – closing his eyes in enjoyment, Natsu sent to his mouth one more piece of roast beef. – If it were up to me, I'd stay in your Kingdom forever. Just for the sake of these strange animals with horns!

-Strange animal with horns? Look who's talking! – Lucy smiled, leaning forward and running her hand over the impressive horns of her friend. They were smooth and cold to the touch, and also incredibly sharp at the ends.

Natsu ignored his friend, biting a large piece off the smoked ham.

-No, I'm serious! I'd stay forever in Fiore for the sake of your food!

Lucy froze at his words.

-Really? – the question escaped her against her will.

Natsu stopped eating, meeting his friend's eye. Their eye contact lasted a few seconds and it seemed to the princess that it had been enough to say much more than they could have said with simple words.

-Really. – Natsu said firmly and there was no shred of doubt in his voice.

Lucy's heart skipped a beat. In front of her was sitting her best friend, a handsome young man, in whose huge scarlet wings she felt as safe as she did not feel under the protection of the whole army of Fiore. In front of her was sitting a dragon, with whom she had spent all her childhood. A friend whose presence made her fragile heart beat faster and the seed of the rising feeling taking its first roots.

 _It seems that the queen was right._

Silly princess fell in love with the dragon.

Silly, silly princess.

* * *

" _Your Majesty, we are suffering great losses. Wizards and witches have started to die of an unknown illness. If it keeps on that way, nobody will be able to deter the forces of the dragons. Astrologers and the guardians of the barrier protecting the kingdom say that it is thinning and soon the dragons will be able to break through the guard. At the same time, the dragon army is getting stronger. In a recent battle at the Valley of Lost Hopes, they were able to hold in their true forms much longer than usual. Also, King Igneel the First let his heir onto the battlefield. The young prince is striking in his strength and dexterity. He took out the elven archer detachment all by himself, without taking his true dragon form._

 _His power is the fire. Your Majesty, we should take radical measures, or else I'm worried about the future of our children._

 _Yours faithfully, Commander in Chief of the Army of Fiore, Gildarts Clive"_

* * *

Lucy was surprised when the king's adviser visited her and bowing to the princess, asked her to follow him to the throne room where, he said, His Majesty was waiting for her. Her father had never shown any particular interest in his heiress. He was busy with the war and public administration and Lucy knew that these affairs, a priority, were more important than the fact that the princess of Fiore with all her heart wished to feel the warm hugs of her father, at least for a moment.

Her heart had a heavy beat, thumping loudly in her chest, when she crossed the threshold of the throne room, modestly and hesitatingly.

Through the glass vaulted ceiling bright golden streams of sunshine were penetrating. It was reflecting from the golden carved walls and marble floor, its tiny sparkling specks playing with gold threads, neatly sewn into a long velvet carpet which led from the entrance to the towering throne on a pedestal. The girl stepped onto the carpet that was muffling the tap of her heels and slowly headed toward the majestically enthroned king. A few advisers clustered around Jude, discussing something in low voices. The princess could see a piece of parchment rolled into a thin tube in the hands of the king.

-Your Majesty, - Lucy greeted her father timidly, with a low bow.

Jude immediately waved his hand and a handful of advisers crowded behind the throne, looking at the princess with interest. The girl did not like their looks.

-Hello, Lucy, - the King started, - how are you feeling? Anything bothering my little birdie?

Lucy quietly frowned, suspicious inwardly, but outwardly she just shook her head.

-No, I am not bothered about anything. Thank you for your interest.

-Are you satisfied with everything in the palace? Do you need anything, my flesh and blood? – the King kept asking strange questions.

-No, Your Majesty, - the girl uttered, meeting her father's eyes, - you give me everything my soul could desire.

The King nodded, running his thumb over the smooth surface of the gilt armrest of the throne.

-I'm glad to hear that.

-You have called me just to ask if I am doing well? – Lucy inquired

Jude shook his head.

-No, Lucy, I would like to discuss with you your sixteenth birthday. – the King pronounced affectionately. – You must have heard that our situation at the front can hardly be called successful. The dragons are starting to win, and the wizards and witches that could block their force with their magic are suffering from an unknown disease.

-Yes, I have heard about it.

The king nodded.

-And, as you are becoming an adult and I am not immortal, unfortunately, I have started to think about the future of our Kingdom.

-Your Majesty, I pray to God for your health and even if the duty of taking care of our people lies on my shoulders, believe me, I will not let you down! – the girl said impulsively.

Jude smiled with satisfaction.

-I am glad to hear that. But you do not know what war is, and although you had learned the subtleties of military science, you did not succeed much, as I was told. – the King mentioned to which Lucy hung her head in shame. - That is why I decided to treat the problem in a different way. If the future Queen cannot wield a sword, then she should master magic.

Lucy raised her head abruptly, in disbelief, looking at the King.

-Father?..

-Lucy Heartfilia, princess of the Kingdom of Fiore and future queen, I am sending you to the village of Celestial Spirits, where you will be trained by the artisans and masters of the most powerful magic – the magic of submission! During this time I will do my best to protect our borders and my hope will be directed to the fact that when my daughter comes back her strength will be enough to oppose these miserable creatures!

Her father's words echoed in the throne room and something snapped inside the young princess.

* * *

She was running without stopping, stumbling over the voluminous petticoats of her silk dress and scuffing her tidy shoes in the dirt. A satin ribbon from her plait was lost somewhere on the way and her long hair spread over her back. She pushed the familiar door open, running into the familiar cave and burst into a loud, shrill wail of misery. She dropped to her knees, digging her nails into the soft, yielding ground. She took no notice of the pain. She did not want to notice anything but a burning hole in her heart flaring up like a fire from hell.

-Lucy!

In a moment she found herself in the warm arms and the huge wings enfolded her like a cocoon. She started to weep louder, burying her face against the familiar shoulder. One hand tunneled into her hair and the other one curved firmly around her waist, and now she was feeling safe as never before. After a while her sobbing began to lessen and tears on her cheeks began to dry up, but Natsu did not move away from the girl, seeming to hold her even tighter to his strong chest.

Lucy was so grateful to him for this as she had never been before.

-What happened? – after a while Natsu broke the silence.

The princess was watching the swans attentively swimming in the lake (did it seem to her one black feather could be seen amid the white ones on one of the swans' wings?). She closed her eyes.

-My father is sending me to study magic for two years, - the girl whispered.

Natsu scowled.

-And this is what made you cry? Isn't it great? Magic is cool!

Involuntary laughter snorted out of her.

-Don't you understand, Natsu? I will be trained to fight against dragons. Against your race and your nation… - Lucy stayed silent for a moment, reluctant to admit what she was going to say. – Against you, Natsu.

The dragon ran his hand over the girl's hair and she relaxed without realizing it, feeling a measured beating of two dragon hearts.

-So what? The most important is not what our nation or our parents want, - he took her chin softly, lifting her head, and there was something in his eyes so magical and charming that her fluttering heart stopped for an instant. – The most important, Lucy, is our own choice. And the day will come, when you and I will change the world. Because the war…

-…is not our choice, - the girl finished for the dragon and, without a second thought, raised herself a little, leaving her kiss on the prince's hot, weather-beaten lips.

* * *

 _These rooms, the very stage where their stories had unfolded_

" _Our King deeply sympathizes with all those whose families have suffered losses in a great war against the Sky Monsters. We will never forget those who gave their lives for peace and prosperity of our Kingdom._

 _To the glory of their memory we will keep fighting against our enemies!_

 _Their sacrifice will not be in vain! The King gives his word!"_

"Fiore News" Year 773

"… _In the last battle against the human offspring at the Valley of Sky Witch our troops scored a sweeping victory! So let's celebrate it and let's honor the memory of the fallen with the volley of our flame. We will keep winning and we will not give the humans any chance of beating us._

 _I, your king, am telling you this!"_

 **© The quote from the address of Igneel the First to his nation. Year 774**

* * *

 **Seventeen years old.  
**

The forest of "Fireflies" had not changed at all and it gave hope to a young wizard that a lot of other things had also remained the same. With every step she took along the familiar path her heart was trying to break free; her hands were sweating and her legs were invaded by an unfamiliar weakness.

She was afraid that the door, which had appeared so suddenly and unexpectedly one day, could have disappeared in the same way. She was afraid that having entered there she would not find the one for the sake of whom she had come there. She was afraid she would not find the smiling dragon whose image had been branded on her memory.

She let out a gusty sigh, stopping before the tree of accis so familiar to her, over which, as before, was a rounded door with a gilt knob. In two years it became covered with moss and wild ivy, but one thing remained the same – it beckoned her as much as before.

Breathing in, Lucy pulled the door opened resolutely, without hesitation, just as when she was a six year old girl. She crossed the threshold of the enchanted cave and the purest air filled up her lungs. As if during these two years her face had been covered with a bandage that did not let her breathe and see, and now, when the bandage had been pulled off, the princess was able to breathe deeply again and see bright, blinding colors of Life.

The cave had not changed at all. The small lake was still sparkling like an emerald shining and on its surface the sun, the moon and the myriad of stars were reflected. The lotus was still blooming and the soft grass tickled her feet. The fireflies were still circling and the water lilies were still floating. Lucy smiled widely, slowly approaching the lake.

She was at home. After two tough years not the cold palace but this cave was her haven, a place that she could call home without hesitation.

-Wizard outfit suits you, Your Highness, - a cozy silence was broken by a familiar voice.

Smiling happily, the princess turned round abruptly, and her heart, in the same way as once a long time ago, skipped a beat when she saw the familiar, dear eyes. It was the only thing that was important now.

-Your waistcoat suits you too, Dragon Prince, - the girl said. – It matches your huge wings.

Natsu smiled widely, spreading his wings and in the twinkling of an eye embraced Lucy. His hot breath scorched her earlobe that had turned pink.

-I missed you.

Lucy clasped her arms round the neck of the prince, burying her hands in his lengthened hair and softly touching his rising horns.

-I missed you too, - she whispered, - so much.

Here and now neither of their titles nor their predestinations mattered. Here and now all that mattered were their souls connected with a scarlet thread and their hearts beating as one.

* * *

" _The detachment of recruit wizards under the direction of the princess Lucy Heartfilia has been formed. The new combat unit will be completely ready for the forthcoming battle._

 _Get ready for the execution of the "Celestial wizard" plan"._

 **Message from the King of Fiore to the Commander in Chief Gildarts Clive**

* * *

" _A reconnaissance party reported an invasion under the direction of specially trained wizards that is being prepared by Fiore. The barrier has been worn out enough and now we think that the success will depend on the element of surprise. Our army is completely ready for an immediate invasion"._

 **Message from the Commander in Chief of the Scarlet Kingdom to the Dragon King Igneel the First**

* * *

The hot breath was burning. It was everywhere, enmeshing her with caressing tongues of fire, making her desire more, giving herself over entirely. Lucy stretched herself up, pulling Natsu's face closer, in order to finally feel the taste of his lips that had been pursuing her for two years **.** Natsu let out a guttural moan into her mouth, drawing the girl closer. He cupped her face with his hands, pressing his lips to hers again and again, like a famished wayfarer. His tongue softly traced over her teeth, and Lucy opened her mouth without a moment's thought, letting him in. She had never felt so complete before.

 _Two hundred dragons lined up along the perimeter of the barrier that had been protecting Fiore for a few centuries already._

Natsu carefully laid the girl on the soft grass, slowly covering her skin with abrupt kisses, going down lower and lower with every kiss. Lucy uttered a long moan, when the lips of the dragon covered her sensitive neck, and now she really wanted him to leave his marks on her milky skin as a reminder for the future. Because the princess understood that beyond the cave they would soon stand on different sides. The battle was inevitable. But not now. Now she was willing to melt in the hot arms of the dragon. Willing to succumb to a lustful desire, in order not to regret afterwards about what she had not done.

 _Igneel severely examined the ranks of his army. He could not understand where his heir had gone, but there was no time to search for him now._

The satin cloak of the wizard was pulled off her fragile-looking shoulders, and every millimeter of the revealed snow-white skin was covered with short quick dragon's kisses. It seemed that he wanted to prolong these moments forever. But it was beyond his powers.

-Natsu, - the girl breathed out, drawing him closer for another kiss. Her hands began to fumble confusedly over the fabric of his waistcoat, finding silver buttons and releasing them from captivity.

The dragon moved away and Lucy saw that his usual gray iris had been turned into an amber-colored, bestial one, burning through, with a narrowed pupil that crossed his eye vertically. The girl touched his cheek gently, feeling the coarse surface of the flakes. And at this very moment, for this dragon, at this place she was feeling boundless love filling her to the brim.

Perhaps, Natsu saw it in her eyes – the next moment he kissed her with renewed force, putting into this kiss much more than he should in their situation. It would be easier, simpler. But it's not for them, is it?

 _At a signal, the dragons spread their majestic wings and launched their powerful streams of fire at the barrier._

Every touch was leaving a small mark in the soul of the girl. A mark that will never disappear and even after years, will remind about itself stinging slightly.

The princess knew what she was doing, and every kiss echoed with a sharp pain in her heart. But they could not stop. And even if they could, they would not.

After all, who knew what would happen in a day or two? Who knew, because their next meeting could take place on the battlefield.

That is why here and now they enjoyed seconds of happiness given to them. True happiness.

 _Igneel grinned when cracks began to appear on the transparent surface of the barrier._

Natsu embraced Lucy's naked figure, carefully supporting her from behind with his wings. He was kissing every sensitive spot with fleeting, fluttering touches, softly preparing her for himself. The girl's natural scent was driving the dragon crazy, and there was nothing he could do when something close to roaring issued from his throat, provoked by that desire, that thirst, that strong and unfeigned feeling that was piercing every cell of his body.

The dragon loved this girl. Loved her with all of his two hearts, sincerely and strongly. Loved so much that scarlet dots of dizziness swirled before his eyes, and he wanted to protect and guard this fragile human flower! He loved her and he did not know what he would do when the war brought them face to face.

 _The first splinter of the barrier flew off._

The only thing Lucy saw before her eyes was the bright amber of the eyes of the dragon.

 _Millions of splinters began to fall down from the sky, signifying the destruction of the only obstacle between the dragons and their victory._

Natsu slid his hand down the naked hip of the girl, making himself comfortable between her slender spread legs. Lucy's smell was intoxicating him, and her scarlet lips glittering with saliva lured him with their sensuality. The dragon covered them with a kiss, feeling tension spreading all over his body.

-Lucy, - he whispered looking into her eyes, openly and sincerely, - I love you.

In his head it sounded like this: "Perhaps, I will have to say goodbye to you".

Tears filled the eyes of the girl and she forced herself to say faintly:

-I love you.

In her head it sounded like: "We are not kids anymore. We will have to say goodbye to each other".

Her sob sank in a loud moan, when Natsu pushed himself forward, in a single movement becoming one with the girl he loved.

 _Loud screams rang through the streets of the Kingdom. The king and the queen sprang from their bed, rushing out to the balcony, and what they saw was worse than any nightmare. Huge pillars of pitch-black smoke were rising to the skies, and blood-red fire that was everywhere resembled now scarlet rivers of blood._

 _-Let's send for the wizards, Layla, - Jude ordered with a hint of steel in his voice, heading for the door._

 _The queen nodded, looking at the sky, where around the palace the Sky Monsters_

 _were circling like vultures._

Lucy felt a pang of alarm, but she did not pay attention to it, snuggling tighter against the hot chest of Natsu.

 _These walls, they whisper secrets and memories thereof_

* * *

-Where have you been, Lucy?! – thundered the loud voice of her father.

The girl was frozen in place, with her eyes wide open, unable to move.

-Father…

-Where. Have. You. BEEN?!

The sounds of the battle were reaching even this place, the throne room, where for her, Lucy, the time had stopped. Because now before her eyes there was only the deathly pale body of her mother lying on the soft pillows. And the only thing that mattered was a scarlet stain spreading on the chemise of Layla Heartfilia. Only this.

-What happened here? – she managed to get out.

Jude sighed, making an effort not to look at the dead body of his wife. The king must be strong.

-They attacked today. Destroyed the barrier and attacked. So, where have you…?

Jude stopped half-way through the sentence, when the princess, without listening to her father finish, rushed to the exit, into the thick of the battle.

* * *

The princess ran out into the flaming main square. At its different parts dragons and wizards were waging battle. Some of them had already taken their true form, and for the princess who had seen it for the first time, it was an unexpected sight. But now she was not in the mood for admiring the majestic beasts.

Tears were running down her cheeks, but she paid no attention to them, taking out a bunch of keys attached to her belt and a long leather whip.

Pure hatred was flowing through her veins finding its refuge in her eyes in a frightening way. Her way was blocked by a female dragon who had not taken her true form yet. Her long silver hair reached the ground and her large meaty wings created a light wind. The female dragon grinned when she saw Lucy.

-Lil princess, right? – she twisted her lips into a repulsive smile, - Always wanted to know how the royal flesh tastes.

She pushed off the ground, flapped her wings approaching the girl with lightning speed, but suddenly froze. There was a bewildered look on her face. It seemed that invisible chains bound all her limbs, not letting her move.

Lucy bared her teeth maliciously, running her hand over the whip.

-I am a wizard of submission. Show some respect at least, wretch.

Fear flickered in the amber-colored eyes of the female dragon for a second, but a moment later she dropped dead to the masonry covered with splinters and blood. Lucy just waved her keys that were more lethal than the dragon flame.

"First immobilize, and then kill" – Aquarius's words flitted through the princess's mind.

That is what she was going to do…

-NO!

Lucy spun around, paralyzed with terror. A centimeter from her flashed a dragon's claw, which suddenly failed to hit her and flew off to the other side.

The girl's heart stopped when she saw her savior.

Right in front of her, breathing heavily, stood Natsu who began to take his true form. Huge sharp claws appeared on his hands; canines began to grow, and the wings like a huge shield settled behind the dragon prince's back.

He forced a smile, moving towards her.

-Lucy, I…

-YOU KNEW IT ALL! – the princess shouted, stepping back from him.

Natsu stiffened, bewildered, looking at the girl uncomprehendingly.

-What?

Tears pooled in her eyes and her gut clenched. She wanted to die. Just not to see this… creature.

-You. Knew. It. All, - she repeated, -You knew about the invasion of the dragons!

Natsu shook his head, stepping towards her again.

-No, Lucy, I did not know! I swear. I heard about it on my way home. I really did not know. Believe me. Please.

Heartfilia shook her head. Her weakened legs sank under her and she fell on her knees, clasping her head between her hands.

-I don't believe you, - she whispered, - don't believe you.

-Lucy…

The wizard suddenly raised her head, meeting the regretful eyes of the prince. And in her eyes he saw hatred.

-Get away. Get away, the murderers of my mother. Burn in hell fire. I will kill you. I will kill you all.

Natsu reached out a hand in her direction.

-Lucy, we… We still can change everything. We still can bury the hatchet. Remember we talked about it in our cave? "The day will come when you and I will change everything. Because the war is not our choice".

Lucy clutched her whip tighter.

-We are not children anymore, Natsu. And we cannot believe in fairy tales, - she said and Natsu saw something break inside of her. And he desperately wanted to help her. The princess stood up, squeezing the keys, and having used the spell of increasing the sound level she began to talk so that she could be heard in every corner of the Kingdom. – Dragons, you have killed my mother. You have destroyed almost all my Kingdom. You washed my lands with the blood of my people. You will pay for that. The day will come, the hour will come, when I, Lucy Heartfilia, the princess of Fiore, will exterminate all your race. But now…

The girl closed her eyes, joining the keys and the whip. Suddenly huge flows of magic burst from the princess's body, and all the dragons together with the bodies of their dead companions faded into the air, and the barrier began to spread over the sky again. It took all the strength of the wizard. But before she fell down unconscious, Lucy had seen the outstretched hand of the prince of the Scarlet Kingdom and eyes that were full of pain.

 _The feathers of the swans grew entirely black._

* * *

" _A sequence of disasters overtook our Kingdom. Today in the morning came the news of the death of our great King Jude Heartfilia. The burial ceremony of the King and the Queen will take place on the same day. Citizens who wish to pay their final tribute may come to the Royal burial vault"._

 **© "Fiore News" Year 775**

* * *

" _Coronation of the princess of Fiore will take place in the morning on the next day after the funeral of the King and the Queen"._

 **© Notices hung throughout the Kingdom Year 775**

* * *

" _A year after the GISM (The great invasion of the sky monsters) Fiore Kingdom has finally been fully recovered. Our queen assures that the barrier has been completely recovered and will never be disturbed again by the Sky Monsters. So let's pray for our Queen!"_

 **© "Fiore News" Year 776**

* * *

" _After a year of calm the battle between people and dragons started again"_

 **© "Fairy's Bulletin" Year 776**

* * *

" _On the night of 21 to 22 October the Dragon King passed away. The cause of death is unknown, but the suspicions appeared that the King had been poisoned. Cremation ceremony will take place at the Palace square. Coronation of the heir – on the next day"._

 **© "Scarlet News" Year 776**

* * *

" _I, Lucy Heartfilia, the queen of the Kingdom of Fiore suggest putting an end to the hostility between our races. It is time to cease this bloody fighting. As a solution I suggest the last battle be on neutral territory. The one who loses lays down arms forever and submits to the one who wins…"_

 **© The quote from the message from the queen of the Kingdom of Fiore Lucy Heartfilia to the king of the Scarlet Kingdom Year 777**

* * *

" _I, the king of the Scarlet Kingdom, Natsu Dragneel fully support your idea about stopping the meaningless war. However, in order to avoid unnecessary casualties, I am making a counteroffer. I, dragon Natsu Dragneel, challenge you, human Lucy Heartfilia, to a fight in the cave of "Fireflies". Face to face. No fatalities. Let's finish it where it began…"_

 **© The quote from the message of the king of the Scarlet Kingdom to the queen of the Kingdom of Fiore. Year 777  
**

* * *

 **Twenty years old.**

\- Your Majesty, you don't have to…

Having landed on the ground, the Queen adjusted her battle suit, checked to ensure that the keys, the whip and the sword forged especially for her were in their places. Taking a look at her adviser the girl smiled.

\- Don't worry, Loke. Somebody must put an end to all of this. And if heaven believes that this honor belongs to me… so be it.

And, having handed to her adviser the bridle of her white-maned mare, the queen slowly entered the forest, stepping on the path she had not walked for almost three years. Her step was firm and resolute and her eyes were serious and full of determination. Without a second thought she was cutting down branches preventing her from going forward, not even noticing the beauty of the Forest of Fireflies.

Lucy Heartfilia stopped before the familiar tree. Her eyes glided over the blackened door that looked as if it was about to go to pieces. The queen, hesitating just for a moment, grabbed the gilt knob and, inhaling deeply, pulled the door open.

The queen would not confess to anybody that her heart contracted in a familiar way.

* * *

 _But that door no longer leads us to that love_

" _The tree of accis is a haven of the fairies. This is where they are building their nests, small and cozy houses that turn into huge enchanted spaces after they die. Nobody knows what shape the fairy's nest will take. Sometimes it may become forests, new cities or boundless valleys. But there is one thing we know for sure. Only the chosen can enter the house of the dead fairy. Only the people who are destined to change history"._

 **© Fiore Encyclopedia.**

* * *

Lucy entered the huge cave, feeling the familiar fresh air fanning her face in pleasant touches. The girl tightened her lips, closing the door behind her. This place hurt her. This place brought back unnecessary memories that pierced the soul of the queen of Fiore with thorny needles.

Walking a bit forward, Lucy fixed her eyes on the emerald surface of the lake. Everything here was as before. The lake reflecting the moon, and the sun, and the myriad of stars; the lilies steadily floating on the surface of the water; the lotus in blossom and the grass soft as duck down. And only the black swans swimming in the lake were different from the queen's memories.

May it be possible that this blackness on their feathers was the reflection of what was happening in the souls of the guests of this place?

\- Do you remember how we met? – came a soft voice.

Lucy turned her head sharply. On the lake shore, having folded his wings behind him and looking at the water surface, the dragon king was sitting, holding in his hands a handful of flat stones. The wizard had not even realized he was there.

\- Of course, - she whispered back.

\- I often came here, - seeming not to hear her, the dragon continued, - Perhaps you don't know but such doors appear in the accis when the fairy who had lived here leaves this world. I was so happy when I came across this door in our forest, because according to the legend it meant that I was the chosen, that I am destined to change the history, - Natsu was fingering the stones, continuing his tale. – And then suddenly you appeared here. A little human kid who asked me if I was a fairy. You know, Lucy, you were looking like a small porcelain doll. Innocent and pure. I wanted to protect you from everything. That is why I became your friend and I was glad when you also became my friend. – Natsu grinned, looking at the stone, and a second later threw it into the water. The stone skipped a few times, sinking into the emerald deep, and Lucy watched the spreading circles, enchanted. – Here, at this very place, we made a promise that nothing will ruin our friendship. And a bit later you kissed me for the first time. – The dragon turned his head toward the girl, and all the grief of the world reflected in his eyes. In his once so lively eyes. – So why? Why, Lucy, does everything have to end here and now? Why does everything have to end like this?

Lucy was looking intently into the eyes of the dragon. It felt like an iron vice gripped her throat and the burning scars of memories began to sting with an unbelievable force.

The queen unsheathed her sword and unsolicited tears flashed in her eyes.

\- Because this is reality, and we are not the children that believe that the races fighting for centuries will achieve peace all of a sudden. Because… - the girl put the blade against the naked neck of the dragon, - this is the only way to achieve peace at least somewhere.

Natsu did not break eye contact with Lucy, whose hand holding the sword was shuddering slightly. The dragon smiled sadly, bending forward, completely exposing his neck to the Queen.

-I f this is your decision, I am ready to make this sacrifice, - the King whispered, relaxing his wings. – Chop, Lucy, but do me at least one favor… Don't take vengeance on my nation for the mistakes of one dragon. No one is to blame for your mother's death. Don't condemn my race for eternal suffering.

The queen, astonished by the words of the dragon, bit her lip trying to keep back a rush of tears. Clasping the sword with two hands, she took a deep breath.

 _The boy with the bright hair grinned, placing his hands on his hips._

 _Call me Natsu! – he announced in a loud voice, raising his head proudly. – And I'm a dragon!_

The swans froze in place. The fireflies began to die out one by one.

 _-Lucy, let's give each other a promise that no matter what happens, we will not let anything destroy our friendship!_

The queen raised her sword.

 _\- So what? The most important is not what our nation or our parents want, - he took her chin softly, lifting her head, and there was something in his eyes so magical and charming that her fluttering heart stopped for an instant. – The most important, Lucy, is our own choice. And the day will come, when you and I will change the world. Because the war…_

… _is not our choice._

A lonely tear ran down her cheek.

 _\- Lucy, I love you._

The sword slipped out from the weakened fingers and fell on the grass with a muffled clanging. Lucy dropped her arms limply, feeling the vice that was gripping her chest loosened, and having freed herself from it, she felt an unprecedented weakness through her whole body. But the strong arms of her personal dragon did not let her fall down.

Natsu smiled at the girl, softly removing the hair from her face.

\- I believed you wouldn't do it, - he whispered.

Lucy cuddled up to the hot chest of the dragon, letting herself to be one more time a little girl that needed a protection of her loyal friend.

\- How could I kill someone who will have to give me back all the gold I spent on the recovery of the Kingdom?

Natsu smiled widely.

\- So I will finally be able to see with my own eyes these animals with horns?

\- I suppose, they will think you are one of them, - the girl grinned.

They had a lot to discuss and a lot to do. But here and now only this moment was important. And they could let themselves enjoy it.

By and large, we choose the shortest way because we think that it will cause fewer casualties. But after a long and winding road don't we become stronger, don't we gain new experience and necessary skills?

In the end, could we say for sure that two warring kingdoms would never be able to co-exist in peace and harmony? No. Sometimes you just have to take a chance even if it is risky.

Well, who knows, maybe life will give us unexpected surprises, and the risk that could have caused a disaster, would become the first step towards peace. The most important is to take this step.

 **The feathers of the swans cleared themselves from the blackness. The fireflies began to shine brighter than before.**


	2. Fireflies The Which's Curse

A note from the author:

Thank you so much for all your reviews. I've read them all and you can't imagine how happy your warm words made me. When I was writing these stories I couldn't even imagine that they would be translated into a foreign language! It's so exiting for me! Thank you again… And, enjoy reading;)

 **"Fireflies. The Which's Curse"**

" _Citizens of the Kingdom of Fiore: We are happy to announce that on 07.07.778, in the Temple of_ _Blazing Sun, the Queen of Fiore, Lucy Heartfilia, and the King of the Scarlet Kingdom, Natsu Dragneel, will be united in holy matrimony. Anyone, be he an ordinary person or noble, is invited to the solemn event._

 _Let the sky be lit up by the fire of the dragons!_

 _Let the peace come to our lands!_

 _Long live the Queen! Long live the King!"_

 **Message to the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Fiore.**

* * *

 **21 years old**

Sunny days came to the Kingdom of Fiore. The season of pouring rains and gusty winds made way for the days of bright sunshine and cloudless skies.

Exactly one year passed since the sudden end of the terrible war that took millions of lives. Peace was established between the Scarlet Kingdom and the Kingdom of Fiore by the efforts of their governors in an agreement finalized in the cave of "Fireflies", wrapped in sunshine. It finished in a tight hug between the dragon and the woman, in the beating of their hearts together and that feeling people call love.

The people, tired of war, were very happy to see the end of hostilities, and despite Lucy's concern, the humans and dragons had come to peace much faster and easier than she had expected.

The queen smiled, inhaling the fresh night air. Watching the country sleeping in peace had become her favorite activity over the past year. From the height of the royal palace she could see the capital spread out. Its narrow streets were illuminated only by the dim lights of lanterns held by occasional citizens, who for some reason did not sleep at such a late hour. The view of this quiet, peaceful city, not burdened by the aura of uneasiness, awakened an unprecedented lightness in her heart. She tightened her hands into fists, remembering the times when Magnolia was destroyed by the attack of dragons, the ruins and the metallic smell of blood, the weeping of children and the silent tears of mothers. She repeated to herself the solemn oath: "It won't happen again! I won't let it!"

And now her anxiety for this peacefully sleeping city, for all the country that rested on her fragile shoulders according to her birthright was growing every moment. Lucy sighed, closing her eyes. A fresh wind was pleasantly blowing on her skin, helping to suppress disturbing thoughts at least for a while. However, their power was too strong.

The queen wadded the edge of her nightgown in her hands, trying not to think about anything, but unfortunately there appeared more and more thoughts in her head. Lucy opened her eyes and breathed out. Dropping her crumpled hem she turned her head to the big wardrobe, and finally the thought whirling in her head was formed:

"Today I'm getting married" she sighed, looking at the wedding dress embroidered with the family white sapphires. She was gazing at a graceful silhouette, a voluminous skirt and a long train supported by a few rings of an iron pannier. Only now she was clearly realizing that it was today when she would walk in this dress along the aisle scattered with roses in the majestic Blazing temple, with the eyes of the hundreds of guests upon her. Today she would take an oath before the eyes of the Gods and the Goddesses of her faith and the faith of the dragons. Today she would sign by her own hand a peace treaty between the two Kingdoms, where it would be stated clearly that the Kingdom of Fiore and the Scarlet Kingdom from now on would be indivisible and united.

Although Lucy knew that the inhabitants of both Kingdoms were in favor of this decision and were happy about the forthcoming wedding, the anxiety sown by the times of war and devastation did not want to leave the queen's heart. She still did not understand how the people who had been at war for several centuries could come to peace and harmony in such a short time. She was afraid. To the point of trembling in her chest, to the point of tears coming to her eyes, she was afraid that her reckless decision, her love, limitless and unbreakable, to a beautiful dragon would cause a more terrible war. This was the only thing she was really afraid of. Not death, not pain, not humiliation, but the suffering of her nation.

Lucy didn't know whether to cry or to laugh.

"And why was I so sure that I'd find you wide awake?" a mocking voice was heard from the side of the street. Lucy drew herself up, surprised, nearly falling over the windowsill, and only after seeing Natsu's wide smile did she relax. The dragon flapped his majestic wings a few times, landing with his legs on the surface of the big balcony. Still smiling, he approached Lucy, taking a seat in front of her. Lucy smiled softly, feeling the warm touch of her fiancé's hand. Such a simple and light expression of his feelings made a pleasant warmth spread in her chest. Seeing his eyes shining with a genuine purity, as a long time ago, at their first meeting, Lucy realized as clearly as never before that even if the whole world was at stake, she would never give away the possibility to feel the look of his wide open green-gray eyes on her.

"Am I so predictable?" the girl smiled.

"Maybe only for me" the dragon shrugged his shoulders. "I have known you for too long, Your Majesty."

Lucy smiled slyly, putting her hand on the light shirt of the king where two hearts were beating quietly and confidently.

"Well, does Your Dragon Majesty know that he must not burst into the chamber of the bride before the wedding, for she is pure and innocent, and only the wedding night will give him the right to tear off the shroud of this purity?"

Natsu covered her hand with his.

"I heard a rumor that the bride is not as innocent as everybody thinks" he spoke in the same tone as she did.

Lucy frowned with feigned indignation, moving a bit forward. Their knees touched, and the queen could feel the dragon's hot breath on her skin.

"That is an outrageous slander. I am sure that the queen will order to execute anyone who dares to spread such a brazen lie!"

"Oh, I think that the queen will really have to execute the liar," Natsu breathed out, running the tips of his fingers over the girl's cheek. "Because it seems that the liar has no intention to take his words back."

Lucy closed her eyes, melting at the touches of the dragon. The feeling of these hot touches was always cutting the ground from under her, and it seemed to her that she would never get used to it.

"I think, the queen may consider mercy," Lucy whispered, inclining her head forward and touching the Natsu's forehead with hers. She felt his fingers on her cheek, his hand tenderly squeezing hers at his chest, and his hot breath mixing with her own. Gently touching the tip of her nose with his, Natsu smiled, approaching the lips of the queen, and stopped a few millimeters from them. Lucy breathed out, disappointed, feeling a slight tingling.

"And what should a miserable liar do to get the forgiveness of the insulted queen?"

Lucy raised her eyelids, meeting the eyes of the dragon shining with slyness, and rolling up her eyes dragged him by the edges of his light shirt, finally covering his lips with a long-awaited kiss. She felt his smile on her lips, which vanished in a second, giving place to tender and gentle touches. Lucy was no longer able to remember for how long she had been in love with this insufferable dragon, but despite the time, every kiss was like the first one.

"Well, the queen thought it over and came to the conclusion that she can grant pardon to the liar," the girl breathed out when after a few minutes Natsu softly moved away, tucking the lock of her blond hair behind her ear.

A smile touched her lips.

"The liar is grateful to the queen and is promising from now on to beg for forgiveness in this way."

Lucy slipped her fingers into the hair of the dragon, touching the base of his long horns with the tips of her fingers.

"The liar regards his chances in a sensible light," the queen smiled, giving her fiancé one more quick kiss.

Natsu grinned, moving a bit backward and letting the fresh night air cool the overheated skin and blow away the hot breathing between them.

"But actually, that's not why I came," the king smiled widely.

"Really?" surprised, the girl embraced herself. Without the closeness of the dragon she suddenly realized that it was really chilly in the room. "Then why?"

"As I already told you I knew that you wouldn't be sleeping. That you would torture yourself with silly thoughts and doubts. _And what ifs?.._ and so on. Yecch!" the dragon left his seat, stepping into the middle of the balcony. The silver moonlight cloaked his silhouette, when he suddenly clung to the stone railings, bending a bit forward and tightening every muscle of his body. Lucy had already seen this, but every time the sight made her hold her breath in amazement. The horns emerging from Natsu's hair started to become bigger as she watched; on his hands and, although she didn't see it, on his cheeks usually practically invisible flakes covered the body of the king with scarlet plates; sharp claws pierced the stone surface of the railings, leaving a few thin scratches; and a long scaly tail appeared from under the flaps of the dragon's coat.

Finally Natsu relaxed, turned to the girl half transformed, the beautiful and deadly dragon king with amber in his eyes and canines slightly jutting out, waved his tail. Every time Lucy saw the transformation, she fell in love more and more, although it seemed that more was impossible.

The dragon smiled, running his clawed hand over his hair.

"And that is why, Lucy, I have a present for you."

The girl stepped to the stone floor of the balcony and without even putting on a cloak and shoes, she slowly approached Natsu, clasping her arms round his neck. She trusted Natsu and when he took her in his arms she only pronounced:

"I hope, the present will include sound sleep."

Natsu spreading his wings, smiled.

"Above all, I will provide you with it as well."

When Natsu started to leave the ground soaring into the night sky the only thing for Lucy to do was snuggle up to his strong body radiating heat. Huge muscular wings were cutting the air, and the queen thought for the umpteenth time that however many times she found herself high in the sky in the dragon's arms, she would never be able to get used to it. Neither to the feeling of freedom filling every cell of her body when the cold wind was tousling her hair, nor to the breathtaking view from the height of the dragon's flight. At times it seemed to Lucy that she was walking on the air. Although Natsu's strong arms held her tightly, always, even if just for a moment, an illogical fear of falling appeared in her head. In such moments, Natsu, as if he were feeling her fears, was pressing her tighter against himself, inspiring confidence with his touches and dispelling groundless fears.

They were flying over the Kingdom, over the narrow streets and unaware citizens. On they went over the Blazing temple with its high spires and majestic columns, where today they would be pronounced husband and wife. Natsu didn't hurry, letting Lucy enjoy the flight. He was holding her tightly and protectively, sometimes letting himself rise high into the skies where the fluffy blue clouds were floating, and Lucy, smiling widely, was bending slightly forward, touching them with the tips of her fingers. Here, above, all worries subsided and for a while she could let herself forget about her title and about the responsibility for the country. She could become a carefree fifteen year old girl again who fell in love with her best friend.

Finally, Natsu began to descend, flying through the clouds and rushing down. Lucy realized with a smile where her dragon was headed. Under cover of night the Forest of Fireflies was looking really spectacular, with the crowns of accis trees shining with a turquoise light and the fireflies dancing in the night sky. Lucy suddenly felt an unprecedented lightness. Natsu knew as no one else what she needed now, because he was her best friend in the first place.

"We have arrived, Your Majesty," Natsu said with a smile landing on the ground, damp after the rain.

Warmth spread in Lucy's chest once she saw the door, familiar from childhood. As a young princess she had come across this old accis tree with its door beckoning and enticing. It was roundish, with an elaborate golden pattern and thin threads of intertwining ivy. At the very moment when she succumbed to the impulse and opened it, the life of the princess had changed. This place was her personal desert island where she could retreat to.

Natsu pulled the door open and entered the cave, still holding Lucy. He had to fold his wings behind his back to be able to go through the small aperture, but the years of practice had their effect. Once they were inside, Lucy jumped out of the dragon's arms, touching the grass with her bare feet, soft like the feather of a duckling. The cave always had a magical effect on the queen.

No matter how the world was changing behind these walls, this place had always stayed the same as it was when the queen had crossed its threshold for the first time. Lucy walked to the edge of the lake, where the moon, the sun, and the myriad of stars were reflected. A happy smile appeared on her lips, and she turned abruptly to Natsu, who had already returned to his original shape.

"So this is your surprise?" The girl asked.

Natsu shrugged his shoulders confusedly, moving toward Lucy.

"Yes," he said. "I thought it would help you to relax. Like the good old times."

On the shore of the lake a checkered rug was spread, on which the delicacies of both kingdoms were placed, attracting the king and queen with their aroma and appearance. There was beef with spices from the Dragon Gorge and fire apples which the Scarlet Kingdom was famous for. There was baked sweet potato and flavored meat delicacies which made Natsu love Fiore so much. The fireflies were dancing their dance around the rug, lighting up the cave better than any fire. Natsu, offering Lucy his hand, sat her on the rug, giving her a wide smile, proper only to him.

"It's fantastic, Natsu", the queen breathed out. The dragon smiled, giving her a crystal glass filled with a dragon wine.

"I'm glad you liked it. I thought that the only place where you can relax and stop getting worked up is here."

The atmosphere of the cave was really soothing, driving away the disturbing thoughts of the queen. They were drinking wine, tasting the delicacies cooked by the dragon (the beef had gotten cold so Natsu had to warm it up with his fire breathing). Lucy was watching the swans swimming majestically in the lake. Listening to the enthusiastic voice of Natsu telling her about training the recruits of the dragon guard she felt an unparalleled peace. Here, in a small cave of Fireflies where peace and welfare were reigning, Lucy felt relaxed for the first time in a few weeks. She didn't even realize how her head touched the strong shoulder of Natsu, and sleep with its soft hand softly closed her eyelids. She only remembered the scent of meat and fruit, the gentle splash of the water and the huge wings that wrapped around her like a hot cocoon.

* * *

" _The war lasted for three centuries! For three centuries humans and dragons were at enmity with each other, fighting and dying on the battlefield! How can we, the descendants of our grandfathers, not care a straw about their sacrifices?! How can we accept that because of the whimsy of a couple of lovebirds our kingdoms will become united? Humans and dragons will never be able to live in peace! How can we walk on the streets knowing that just a year ago we were killing each other? How can we speak about equality, about peace with enemies?! The queen and the king take very great liberties, and if they think that a miserable piece of paper can unite us, they are wrong!_

 _And if this is their will, then we do not need such governors!"_

 **Message from the leader of the underground revolutionary organization "Tartaros". Year 778**

* * *

In the Kingdom of Fiore and in the Scarlet Kingdom bustle was reigning ever since morning. The streets of the capital abounded with bright ribbons: red ones were of the color of dragons and the white ones – of the color of Fiore. Thousands of air balloons and colorful lanterns were soaring airwards. It seemed that the smell of the approaching festivities was in the air: of baked goods for the royal wedding, of dragon wine, of ale and of flowers that were carried in dozens of carriages towards the Blazing Temple. Ever since morning people were coming to the streets with wide smiles and tears in their eyes and congratulating each other on the arrival of peace.

Lucy, standing in her chamber in a puffy snow-white wedding dress, was feeling with every cell of her body the happiness of her nation. It seemed to her that she had never before been so anxious and happy at the same time. She wanted to run away, she wanted to see Natsu sooner. She didn't know which of the two desires was stronger.

"Your Majesty," the maid of honor carefully stepped into the chamber, pulling the queen out of the labyrinth of her own thoughts. A young girl in a holiday light blue dress slowly entered the room, dropping a graceful curtsey, and timidly stood behind Lucy. "May I help you?"

Lucy looked at her maid of honor. The daughter of her treasurer, McGarden, was feeling quite unconfident in her new position, and Lucy felt really sorry for the girl. She understood perfectly that her queen had been rather irritable and silent recently. Trying to smile as naturally as possible, Lucy nodded.

"Yes. The stays should be laced more tightly."

While the maid of honor was setting the satin ribbons straight and tightening the silver threads, Lucy was looking in the mirror and trying to absorb this image. The wedding dress was a present from the people of the Scarlet Kingdom in honor of the forthcoming nuptials with their king. Made of rare blindingly snow-white silk, it was really beautiful. Naked shoulders with the bodice trimmed in sapphires. The stays, showing to advantage her slender waist, on which the embroidery from the threads of fire spiders, made by the skillful dragon masters, was of amazing beauty. The skirt fell to the floor like a fluffy cloud and was followed by a long fustian train, shining with silver threads and hundreds of sapphires. And against the general blindingly white background a bright spot of a red belt with the family rubies of the Dragneel dynasty stood out. The dress was beautiful but heavy, and Lucy had to be followed by two maids of honor to support the train decorated with gems.

"So your name is Levy, right?" The queen smiled when the maid of honor finished her work and took the silk gloves from the box embroidered with purple velvet.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lucy stretched out her hand letting Levy put on a glove with care. Then the girl carefully, as if she was afraid to drop it by accident, attached on the high queen's high coiffure, an elegant platinum tiara with white and blue sapphires shining brightly. Lucy looked in the mirror for the last time, resolutely clenching her hands into fists.

She will do it!

"Good, Levy," the queen said, carefully turning toward the exit so as not to get entangled in her long train. "You will accompany me today. The most important thing is not to let me run away before we reach the temple. And there, after I meet Natsu, all these stupid thoughts will vanish from my head by themselves."

Levy nodded readily, suddenly smiling in a strange, understanding way.

"You really love this dragon, don't you?"

The question sounded more like an affirmation rather than a question, and Lucy said firmly, without hesitations:

"Yes," a bright, really happy smile bloomed on her lips. It seemed that only now she realized that she was getting married today. To Natsu. To a dragon she met in a small cave of Fireflies. To a guy who became her first friend and true support. "I love him."

At these words Lucy resolutely headed for the door. Today no one will be able to prevent her from being happy.

All the following events blended into one solid mass for her. She didn't remember how she found herself in a carriage surrounded by two maids of honor who were carrying the train of her dress behind her, with Levy modestly sitting in a corner. Nor could she remember how she found herself before the Blazing temple. It seemed that someone suddenly used magic that carried her from the palace to the threshold of a majestic building built as far back as even the founders of Fiore knelt before the eyes of Gods and Goddesses.

Thousands and thousands gathered around the temple. There were both dragons and humans. She could see tall elves and undersized stout dwarfs. It seemed that the people from all the kingdoms had gathered. Lucy was slowly walking along the carpeted runner holding her head high and smiling at the people. She was the queen. She proudly represented her nation, blinding with beauty and nobleness. And when the high carved doors swung open before the queen and her three maids of honor, Lucy didn't hesitate a moment before entering the majestic hall to the sound of harps caressing the ear.

And the next moment no one existed for Lucy. Not the king of elves with his wife; nor the prince of dwarfs wearing a bright yellow frock-coat; nor the ambassador of mermaids; nor her friends from the village of Celestial Spirits; nor the extraordinary beautiful witches in dark emerald garments. Lucy could only see the man standing at the end of the aisle. Wearing a traditional dragon's bright scarlet waistcoat and a blindingly white belt with family sapphires of the Heartfilia dynasty, which was a present from the people of Fiore. With a wide smile proper only to him, that was agitating the queen, and with the eyes shining with a genuine purity, stood the King with his huge scarlet wings behind his back.

Lucy smiled softly, feeling tears fill her eyes. It didn't matter anymore who was at her wedding and she didn't care about all the troubles and fears. There was only him, standing at the end of the aisle and smiling so wide as if it was the best moment of his life, and there she was, led by this smile as if by a firefly lightning up the way.

"Today before the images of the Gods of Fiore and the Goddesses of the Scarlet Kingdom we are uniting in holy matrimony this man and this woman," the voice of the priest thundered in the huge hall of the temple.

Lucy was standing in front of Natsu, seeing only his shining eyes and wide smile before her. She wasn't listening to the priest. She knew as it was that she would love this man. That is why when the crucial question was asked she said firmly, without hesitating a moment:

"Yes. I do."

Natsu carefully put a thin wedding ring on her finger, beautiful, tying their heart and soul.

And when Natsu said his:

"Yes. I do,"

Lucy tied their souls once and for all with a ring of white gold.

The priest waved his hand, and their ring fingers, exactly where they were circled by their rings were joined by a thin shining red thread which disappeared in a few seconds. Magic of the indivisible union. Superior magic.

And when Natsu moved closer to her and covered her lips with their first kiss as husband and wife, Lucy was really happy. She didn't hear the applause nor she did hear the priest. In her ears there was only the sound of hearts beating as one.

His and hers. Human's and dragon's.

* * *

"Your Majesty."

Natsu turned around to meet the serious eyes of the chief of his guards. The celebration was in full swing. In the ballroom of the palace of Fiore resonant tunes of mazurka were played, and Natsu together with the other nations for whom this dance was unusual were attentively watching people having fun. The queen was standing surrounded by the maids of honor and was speaking about something with Mirajane, the queen of the Kingdom of Alves. The tall elf with long silver hair, wearing streaming garments, was smiling with restraint, evidently enjoying the company of the young queen.

"Yes, Gajeel. Did anything happen?"

The chief of the royal guards was a stalwart dragon with the black wings majestically spreading out behind his back, whose name inspired fear in the neighboring kingdoms. Gajeel was looking gloomily with his bright red eyes while folding his muscular arms, on which there were claws always in fighting trim, sharp like daggers. Natsu new this look and it boded nothing good.

"Tartaros," the dragon hissed.

The king exhaled tiredly. Recently this gang of revolutionaries had fairly worn out their nerves. They formed right after he and Lucy declared their engagement and the end of animosity between dragons and humans. Of course, he wasn't naïve and understood perfectly well that after such a declaration, protesters would appear and, speaking frankly, he expected a wider scope of discontent. There were few of the discontented. A lot of people were just tired of the war, and peace proposed by the governors was welcomed by both dragons and humans. But together with the rejoicing somewhere at the border of the Scarlet Kingdom and Fiore a small organization appeared that took the name of "Tartaros". For exactly a year they had been distributing leaflets with protesting slogans, making statements at crowded squares and trying to instigate a riot. And exactly for a year their forces remained extremely small. But recently the power of "Tartaros" had begun to grow and together with its growth the number of clashes between the royal guard and the revolutionaries breaking out here and there had increased.

"What this time?" Natsu asked, meeting the eyes of Lucy who smiled at him at once. The dragon smiled in response.

"They attacked the armory near Hargeon. Me and that wench from the royal guard of humans inspected everything there," Gajeel hissed, giving a sidelong glance at Erza Scarlet, the chief of the royal guards of Fiore. "A very clean attempt. It seems that their ranks were joined not only by wizards, but by witches as well. The infernal mark was drawn around the armory."

Natsu reflected for a moment, looking in the direction of Lucy again. She was talking to a dark-haired witch from a small village of Brooks. The witch was saying something to the queen, and when their looks crossed for a moment Natsu saw fright flash in the eyes of his wife. Just for a moment, it flared up and died out at once, and the king didn't like it.

"Have security tightened and assign three more detachments for their search and capture. They are a pain in the ass."

"I'll do it," Gajeel grinned, having noticed the trajectory of the king's look. "Oh, come on, Dragneel; go to your princess already. You will burn a hole in her with your eyes."

Natsu waved it away, scoffing, and slowly moved toward Lucy, from whom the witch in green garments was already leaving. The queen was pale and was holding tightly to the fabric of her dress. Natsu knew what it meant. She was nervous. The dragon carefully approached her, softly taking her hand.

"Lucy, are you alright?"

The queen raised her head, meeting the eyes of her husband. This eye contact lasted for a few seconds, tense and frightening. It seemed that with this look she was trying to tell him something he couldn't understand, and in a few seconds Lucy smiled merrily and said in a carefree way:

"Everything's great! Let's dance, Your Majesty!"

But during the dance, being in the warm and secure arms of her husband, Lucy couldn't stop thinking about the words of the dark-haired witch who, twisting her lips painted black into a grin, said these frightening words:

"You will never be able to have children, Your Majesty."

She never saw the black tattoo on the shoulder of the witch. The black sign of the revolutionary organization of "Tartaros".

* * *

" _07.07.778 became a historic date. On this very day the governors of two kingdoms that had been at war for three centuries signed a treaty of peace. Since that day the Kingdom of Fiore and the Scarlet Kingdom have ceased to exist. Henceforth the two kingdoms have united into one huge and powerful state – the Scarlet Fiore."_

 **© The scripture of the history of the Scarlet Fiore. Chapter I. Page 1. Year 778**

* * *

" _We are fighting for a righteous cause! We are fighting for our freedom and for freeing our land from enemies. And it doesn't matter that we have united now. It doesn't matter that there are both humans and dragons in our ranks. Now we are united by a common goal – to get our homes back. We will not let the governing dynasty to mix blood. We will not let their children, filthy mudbloods, govern our kingdoms._

 _And if a civil war is to be started, we will start it. I, the head of the revolutionary organization, the dragon of the hell fire, Mard Geer, am telling you this!"_

 **© Message from Mard Geer to the members of the revolutionary army. Year 779**

* * *

 **23 years old**

From early childhood, Lucy Heartfilia had dreamed of visiting the Scarlet Kingdom. How many stories and legends she heard! Some said it was a fairy-like place with a sky filled with a deep scarlet shade day and night; when in the winter snow blankets the tops of the Blazing palace, and in the summer, plants of pure fire and bright scarlet peonies blossom out amidst green grass. The others, mainly those who hated dragons, told the young princess that the Scarlet Kingdom was filled with darkness and cold. There was neither green grass, nor flowers, only the naked stones and lava flowing in the clefts. But no matter what anyone said, Lucy wanted, if only out of the corner of her eye, to see the dragon kingdom. After all, now it was her motherland too.

"How come that for two years of married life I failed to visit your motherland?" Lucy smiled, raising her eyebrows quizzically.

"I think because we didn't have time to visit my palace," Natsu said, hooking the carriage window curtain with his finger. "Time flies really fast in these parts."

"I can't wait to see the Blazing palace in all of its splendor!"

Looking at his wife, the dragon smiled.

"I fear you will like the former Scarlet Kingdom as much as I liked Fiore. If so, even five years won't be enough for us to come back."

Time was really passing incredibly fast. It seemed that only yesterday they gave their sacred oaths in a majestic hall of the Blazing Temple, and today, two years later, they were heading for the other side of their country, to the places that just some time ago had been called the Scarlet Kingdom. And Lucy considered it strange. For two years she begged Natsu to visit his castle and for two years she was refused. Mainly because the new palace of the Blazing Firefly, situated close to the border that used to separate the two kingdoms, was in a convenient position for the crowned couple. The trade route and a few small roads from the strategically important points passed through. From this place that was situated on the outskirts of the capital of Fiore, practically next to the Forest of Fireflies, it was convenient to pursue both foreign and internal policy of the kingdom, while the Scarlet Kingdom was too remote and too isolated. A lot of young dragons settled down in Fiore, as well as a lot of humans moved to the Scarlet Kingdom.

The Scarlet Fiore became one huge and well-oiled mechanism.

However, Lucy was troubled by the fact that Natsu so suddenly decided to arrange a trip to the homeland of the dragons. He was terrible at lying and all the more, for so many years of knowing him she had learned to understand when he was lying and when he was telling the truth.

The answer was suggesting itself.

"Tartaros."

For two years the gang of rebels had grown into a huge protesting movement. They used to be supported by a mere handful of people who were disgusted by walking the same ground as the enemy. Now hundreds joined them, both dragons and people who were infected by the idea that the half-blood of the royal blood would not be able to carry out the will of both nations. Now "Tartaros" was assuring for all to hear that the child of the king and the queen would destroy the fragile peace established between the nations.

" _Just imagine what kind of monster will be born to them! He won't be able to possess the full strength of the dragon race that has been protecting purity of blood for centuries and didn't even let themselves marry the creatures of their similar species. Nor would he be able to be human in full measure. He will have neither the dragon fire, nor powerful wings, nor the beauty of humans and a whole palette of humans' emotions. A monster will be born to them! A flabby monster with a scaly tale and shabby skin that won't be able to speak, nor to think, nor to govern. This monster will grow and become only uglier, and the day will come when it will ascend the throne and will rule over you, free humans and dragons. Do you understand that?! The ugly offspring of the dragon and the human! It will stand higher than you, beautiful humans and strong dragons. And you will have to listen to it. You will have to obey it and the day will come, believe me it will, when your daughter or your son will suddenly, unexpectedly become a husband or a wife of this monster. Everything starts from small things. Drop by drop and the two nations will become extinct. Because of the queen of the humans and the king of the dragons. Just because out of the blue they decided to fall in love with each other and guide with their silly feeling, people who sincerely love them and trust them."_

Lucy heard this speech, standing on the square of Hargeon. She was there, casting over herself the spell of transformation and listening to the words of Mard Geer standing on the masonry of the fountain. This sweet speech, saturated with bile to her feelings, her future children and the man she loved. And she saw that the crowds of gawkers believed him. She saw their faces twitching into grimaces of horror and disgust. And, perhaps, this was what prevented her from immobilizing a wicked liar with her whip and teaching him a good lesson with a spell of submission. She didn't do it then, having gone to her chamber later, lost in deep thoughts. Neither the words of Levy, nor the questions of Erza managed to revive her. Because the words of the dark haired witch at a royal ball sounded in her head like an alarm bell:

"You will never be able to have children, Your Majesty."

Two years passed. Two long years, but heaven hadn't sent her and Natsu a child. And sometimes thoughts came to her mind, what if the words of the witch were true? What if it wasn't a delirium, as the queen was assuring herself at the time, but a real prophesy? And what will happen when the royal pair is not able to present an heir to the kingdom?

Lucy was scared. Scared that the human wouldn't be able to bear a child of the dragon, that it was impossible at all. She was scared that she would never experience the joy of maternity and the Scarlet Fiore would sink again into the abyss of war.

Perhaps, Mard Geer was right, and she and Natsu were leading their nations only into darkness? Did she make a right choice when she decided to accept the proposal of the man she loved? She didn't know.

There was no disproving that a child couldn't be born to a human and a dragon. There just hadn't been any case like this so far. And that was the problem. She and Natsu were the pioneers.

Lucy exhaled, closing her eyes. The carriage was moving slowly. Through the slightly open curtains the forest air, the sound of rustling leaves and the chirping of birds were penetrating. With a sixth sense Lucy realized that they weren't in Fiore anymore. It seemed that the atmosphere had changed in a subtle way, though the queen didn't understand what exactly had caused it.

"Your Majesty," the face of Gajeel who was riding a black horse appeared in the carriage window. "We have crossed the borders of the former Scarlet Kingdom."

An exultant note sounded in the voice of Redfox. Despite his affected indifference he was missing his homeland, and Lucy understood this, though she preferred to stay silent. Let the courageous warrior and the head of the guard of the king believe that no one around him notices his kind heart and the soft nature showing itself, though quite rarely. Levy, of course, didn't tell anything, but Lucy (and not only Lucy) knew perfectly well that the pendant in the shape of forget-me-not was the present of the sullen dragon. Natsu once mentioned that in Gajeel's expensive cigar case made of purple gold was a picture of one of the queen's maids of honor on the lid. And everyone around knew perfectly well of which one it was. But they stayed silent, preferring to pretend that the show occurring under everyone's nose was performed so skillfully and ingeniously that everyone believed it unquestioningly.

Lucy saw the expression of happiness of a rare kind spread over her husband's face as Natsu smiled at his friend, looking over the thick curtain. This was the expression he had when in the cave of Fireflies he felt her lips on his for the first time. This was the expression he had when he dropped to one knee and asked her to become his wife. This was the expression he had when she was walking along the broad aisle in the Blazing temple towards him and the two rings that united their destinies forever.

And Lucy realized that despite Natsu's saying that he didn't want to leave Fiore, secretly he was missing his motherland very much, and only her wellbeing made him stay.

Exhaling, the queen bent slightly forward. Following the example of her husband, she hooked the edge of the curtain, peering out the carriage window.

Long time ago she was told the stories about the Scarlet Kingdom; about a blood red sky, about flowers blazing with fire and trees with leaves looking like dragon wings. There were stories about the ground that was darker than gloom, about hell lizards with violet scales that aroused unfeigned fear with only their look and about white-hot lava, flowing in the millions of clefts in the homelands of dragons.

But no one had ever told her that the Scarlet Kingdom was the most beautiful place among all seven kingdoms. No one told her that the sky here was the color of scarlet chiffon, covering the kingdom with a charming dome. No one told her that here both day and night the stars were shining and every minute one by one they were leaving the sky. No one told the young princess that the greenery here was more lush and full than she had ever seen in her homeland. The trees with leaves looking like dragon wings were a few meters high, and the queen had to move a little forward to see the broad leaves, huge and really looking like dragon wings. No one told about the crystal pure streams, about the bright red fire peonies, the petals of which were really of pure fire, about the animals so peculiar and diverse that Lucy would have to spend a lot of time to remember the name of each. And never in her life had she seen so many dragons flying high in the sky. Women, and children, and men. First in one spot, then in another, cutting the mat red clouds, these kings of the sky were flying.

The most important thing was that no one told her that the Blazing Palace, that had been standing here for centuries and had survived tens of dragon dynasties, was so beautiful that she caught her breath. With the spires rising high into the sky, the palace, wrapped in scarlet gleams of sunbeams penetrating through the thick cloud curtain, seemed to be blazing for real. And having stepped to the ground, raising her head high to the sky, trying to discern the top of the building, Lucy felt incredibly small under the majesty of this construction.

This was the Scarlet Kingdom. The place famous for its scarlet sunrises and sunsets. The place that had been built by ancient dragons. The place that conquered the heart of the queen of Fiore.

Lucy only wanted to meet a little princess, who was listening to the stories of the courtiers about the kingdom of the dragons and whisper, smiling:

"Don't listen to anyone, darling. This can't be described with words."

* * *

The dragon kingdom gave the queen a warm reception, though without excessive friendliness. Dragons were a proud and serious entity, strictly following their traditions and norms of communication. Lucy tried to relate to their well-established way of life. However, in the palace itself there were many more dragons than people in the palace of Fiore, and for a few weeks of staying there she was never alone.

On the very first day Lucy found on her bed a few outfits that were suited to the fashion and traditions of the dragon kingdom. Reluctantly she ordered all the puffy silk and chiffon dresses brought from Fiore to be set aside. They were replaced by close-fitting dresses made of purple and black fabric with a wide golden band circling the neck. Dragons loved gold and all their outfits included it one way or another. Her outfits also included dozens of bracelets that sounded melodically while walking, a golden belt with the stones of blood red rubies, and skillfully manufactured ear cuffs that conformed perfectly to the shape of the ear. She was not allowed to wear any rings as dragons believed that only the ring given by the husband or wife must be on the fingers. At least for a married woman. Only fallen women took liberties of wearing wide rings with big vulgar gems.

Lucy wasn't used to the tradition of dragons to wear dresses with bare backs and arms, but after a while she realized that in the hot and stuffy Scarlet Kingdom it was the only possible way to cope with the weather.

Natsu in his turn seemed to be feeling perfect, having taken off the scarlet waistcoat and replaced it with a short black vest with golden insets. And for the first time Lucy could see her husband in his element with the wings spread widely in the huge halls of the palace, with the jingling of two golden earrings in his ear, and with meeting ordinary people during which the king was hearing their problems. Lucy looked at this Natsu with a smile, wondering how this man who behaved as a child when they were alone could be so different in the presence of others.

One day while walking around the garden of the Blazing Palace that became the favorite place of the queen during her stay, Lucy met Yukino, a dragon with snow-white wings and a kind smile. Looking at her, happy and beautiful, carefully holding a charming dragon girl in her arms, Lucy felt an unprecedented sadness. She was looking at this child with short light hair and lovely dimples in the scarlet cheeks and suddenly realized that if the prophecy was true she would never to able to cradle her own child. And she couldn't bear the thought.

That same evening she told Natsu about her worries, but he only smiled widely, saying in his usual way:

"You're getting too worked up, Lucy. I'm sure we will have children."

Lucy asked, clasping her hands in excitement:

"Why are you so sure? Two years have passed and I'm afraid…"

She stopped talking when Natsu's strong hands carefully squeezed her shoulders. She raised her head, meeting his serious eyes.

"When I was seven, before I got to the cave of Fireflies, a witch had foretold me this. She told me that I would soon find a magic place where I would meet my future queen. She had foretold that we would live happily ever after, surrounded by children and grandchildren."

Lucy opened her mouth in surprise, seemingly ready to say something else, but Natsu forestalled her, covering her lips with a short kiss. And at that moment the queen felt her shoulders sag with released tension.

"But if you don't believe me," the dragon whispered, moving away, "we can visit this witch and she will repeat her prophecy again."

This is how Lucy found herself at the edge of the kingdom in the thick of the forest of the Ancient dragon before a neat house with a green lawn, low trees of accis, and apple trees on which large fruits were ripening. The house was wrapped in an aura of magic, as if a fairy in elegant garments and thin wings behind her back was about to appear out of the carved door. Lucy wouldn't have been surprised.

But instead of a fairy, a girl who measured the royal couple with a disdainful eye appeared at the door. She looked like an arboreal nymph with hair the color of oak bark and deep-set eyes that were attentively examining her guests. The witch was wearing a strange outfit, covering only her breast and legs to the knees. A flush rose to the cheeks in the queen, but Natsu didn't seem to be embarrassed.

"Hello, Cana," he said with a smile.

The girl grunted, leaning against the door jamb and took a large gulp of a half-empty bottle of wine. Lucy took a closer look. The dusty bottle was made of green crystal, which was used for delivering alcohol only to royal families. And it made her draw certain conclusions.

"Hey, asshole. What the hell are you doing here?"

Lucy looked at the witch indignantly; ready to put the commoner, who dared to speak like this to her king, in her place, but Natsu forestalled her, bursting out laughing.

"You haven't changed at all, Alberona," said the dragon, moving towards the girl, "it seems that in two years you've become an enormously rude person."

"Screw that. Visitors don't often come here, so I've lost the habit of making curtsies, y'know. Well, come in, since you've showed up already. Ah, and yes," the witch looked at Lucy, "good afternoon, Your Majesty. Finally, I see you in person."

The queen decided not to try to grasp a secret meaning of these words, following Natsu to a neatly furnished hut, flooded with a persistent smell of rum and wine. Cana walked further into the room, taking one more large gulp from the bottle. Lucy looked around, noticing that here and there around the house corked oak barrels used for keeping alcohol could be seen. It wasn't surprising taking into account the witch's unhealthy predilection for this kind of drink. But in contrast to this, the house was clean and cozy, with hanging goblin tapestries, rounded rugs, and small pictures. Also with dream catchers and talismans unknown to Lucy.

"What would the King and the Queen need from such a modest toper as me?" Cana said in quite a firm voice (despite the empty bottle of wine), as she sat down in the soft-looking armchair.

Natsu gave Lucy his hand and together with her sat at a small table, on which there was a magic sphere and different decks of cards.

"Lucy worries that we may not have children," Natsu explained, tightening his grip on his wife's hand.

Cana snorted.

"Nonsense, I told your fortune by cards when you were a little boy. You will have everything according to the canons of the happy fairytales. Sickly sweet love, wedding, three kids, five grandchildren and death on the same day."

Lucy felt warmth wrapping her heart and the vice of doubts and fear that was gripping her chest up to now finally began to loosen.

"Really?" the queen exhaled, feeling the tears of relief filling her eyes.

"One hundred percent certain," the witch confirmed. "I last spread the cards right before your wedding and nothing had changed. The future generally doesn't change often. Usually, it looks like a straight thick line that retraces the most probable events. And though thousands and thousands of story developments are possible, in the end, the prophecies of witches are a vision of this thick line. It is unchangeable, though perhaps somewhere in a parallel world your destinies followed a completely different scenario, and this thick line already has a different outline."

Natsu smiled widely, turning to his wife.

"See, Lucy, everything comes in due time. You have nothing to worry about."

The queen sighed in relief, finally feeling freedom. Really, she was getting too worked up, attaching importance to the words of a complete stranger.

"But if you want, I can deal the cards again," the witch said, taking from under the table a new bottle, this time one made of purple glass. "Not a problem for me and you will be convinced that you will have everything like a normal prince and princess has. Like, you know, "happily ever after" and "died on the same day."

Lucy, weakened by long worries, let herself take a liberty and leaned against Natsu's shoulder, smiling limply.

"Yes, I will be happy to hear it personally."

She felt a light kiss of the dragon on the crown of her head and let herself relax in the warm arms of her husband. All the sadness was left behind. A bright future was waiting with a man she loved and three wonderful (she was sure about it) children.

"Crap," the witch's exclamation took Lucy out of her smoky fantasy. Lucy sat straight up abruptly, looking anxiously at the tree of magic cards on the table. Natsu's hand found hers again.

"What happened?" the dragon asked, trying not to give away his anxiety.

Cana was looking at the cards blankly, trying to find with her eyes a place where she had been mistaken.

"I don't know what the hell this is," the witch said quietly, raising her head, "but your future has changed."

"What does it mean?"

Cana ran her hand over the cards, and Lucy could only look at the dragon pendant that was dangling from the witch's wrist. It seemed to her that the small rubies in his eyes were hypnotizing her, and there was no sorrow, no anxiety. Just emptiness.

"You won't have children," Cana brought on her verdict. "At least, something is preventing it. And because of this all your further destiny has changed," the witch raised her head, meeting Lucy's eyes. "I'm afraid that a much more frightful war than we have ever had with dragons awaits us."

Natsu embraced Lucy with his wings as if trying to protect her from all the troubles.

"What are you talking about?"

Cana was looking intently into the queen's eyes, and it seemed to Lucy that the witch was persistently looking for something and couldn't find it, turning her soul inside out. That's how piercing her look was.

A puff of wind broke into the hut window which was slightly ajar, disturbing with its touch dream catchers and amulets. Ringing resounded in the room like a death alarm.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

"I am talking about the bloodiest war in the history of humanity." Cana exhaled, lowering her eyes to the cards. "About the civil war with humans and dragons that bear black banners. It seems, Your Majesty, they are now called "Tartaros".

 _Bam._

* * *

" _Master, I have accomplished your mission. Queen Lucy Heartfilia from now on won't be able to bear a child, for my black magic will hinder it. We can proceed to the next part of our revolt, and I am waiting for your further instructions._

 _Yours faithfully, S."_

 **© Message from the first lieutenant of the revolutionary army, Seilah to Mard Geer. 08.07.778**

* * *

" _Today, 20.09.780, exactly two years have passed since the moment of the implementation of the "Dragon" plan. Since that time the ranks of our army have widened and both wizards and witches have become our brothers and sisters, and the union with the kingdoms of dwarfs and giants has only strengthened our positions. The revolutionary army is growing stronger, absorbing the life-giving force of unshakeable faith, courage and bravery. And we won't retreat till the final victory!_

 _You just have to arm yourselves with patience and in two years you will see the heads of the king and the queen on the pikes of the palace square._

 _I, Mard Geer, your brother and friend, promise you this!_

 _In two years the "Dragon" operation will reach its apogee!"_

 **© Message from Mard Geer to the members of the revolutionary army. Year 780**

* * *

Lucy was sitting at the shore of the lake in the Fireflies cave, disturbing the water surface with the flat stones thrown across it. The swans were looking haughtily with their small black eyes towards the girl, trying to keep distant from the spreading circles. The fireflies, seeming to feel the anxiety of the queen, were circling around her, shining brighter than ever. She was happy that Natsu had shown her the entrance to the cave in the Scarlet Kingdom. At least, now she could run away from her worries to familiar places that in a magical way were giving her peace, so necessary now. And it didn't matter what dress she was wearing; it didn't matter what kingdom was behind her. Here she was herself.

"I knew I would find you here."

Natsu sat down next to her, gazing at the lake were the moon, the sun, and the myriad of stars were reflected.

"It's so strange, Natsu," Lucy said calmly, stretching out her hand, the one on which the platinum ring was shining, "the problems that once seemed unsolved… Like that I was hiding the friendship with an enemy from my parents and that I fell in love with him and didn't know whose side to take; the problems of a centuries-old war; the death of my parents, the responsibility for the country that suddenly fell upon my shoulders. Even that once I had to renounce the voice of my heart and go against you… Now it all seems so stupid and insignificant comparing to realizing that I can't have children. Perhaps, exactly at such moments when unsurmountable walls appear in your life you realize how insignificant the rest is."

"What do you mean by that?" Natsu asked with a smile.

The queen grinned, springing to her feet and turning her face to him. Resolution was flaming in her eyes, not a glint of doubt was in her movements. Quickly bending towards him, she pulled out from the black scabbard of the king a long sword made of dragon steel. Beautiful. Majestic. The queen firmly clasped the handle, squaring up. The eyes of the dragon met the eyes of the human.

"We will fight," Lucy said decidedly, "we will not let anything ruin what is dear to us. By blood and sweat we will win."

The king nodded, straining every cell of his body. A huge dragon appeared in the cave of Fireflies with dark red scales, spreading fleshy wings and eyes filled with amber. On that day the forest of Blazing Dragon shook with a loud roar of the Dragon king, making the blood run cold.

Perhaps, a long time will pass when the new way has come to its end. But now it didn't matter, because their battle had just begun.

* * *

 **25 years old**

A deep night fell upon the kingdom, an ink-dark blanket with a pattern of red stars. The Scarlet Fiore plunged into the silence. Along the streets lit by the eternal fire few passers-by were walking, charmed by the magic of the night. A buzz of voices was coming from the bar of "Three dragons". Somebody was screaming, somebody was singing, and somebody was just watching the performance of the best dancers of the city. On this very night, calm and wrapped in the atmosphere of peace, a person slipped out of a dark lane. The face of this person couldn't be seen. Only a long black coat was fluttering behind his back, and a deep hood was completely hiding his identity. Like a black soundless bird the stranger was walking along the deserted streets and a few minutes later it became clear where he was headed. The stranger was walking confidently towards the Blazing Palace, which was rising above the city like a torch.

Guard dragons were circling above the palace, but the stranger wasn't frightened off by that at all. In a determined way of walking he overcame the bridge that was built across the deep ditch. In the same determined way he came to tall carved doors, at which now for some reason there was no guard. But instead of entering through the front door, the stranger suddenly turned to the other side and standing near the wall, he looked around. Having made sure that there was no one he touched a third stone from the bottom of the torch with a hand wearing a leather glove. A magic passageway opened in the wall. The stranger confidently passed through it and the opening disappeared at once, and the person wearing a long black coat moved along the labyrinths of the underground corridors of the palace. He seemed to know where he was going. He seemed to know these places like his own house, resolutely turning to the right side at the numerous crossroads. Suddenly, when the traveler turned to the new corridor once again, he was caught from behind, his hands firmly blocked and his mouth closed with a palm. In the light of the torch the stranger saw claws on the hand, sharp like a dagger. A dragon.

"Your Majesty," a mocking voice sounded next to his ear, "you are too careless."

"Are you so sure about this?" the traveler skillfully slipped out of the hold, pulling the sword out of the scabbard of the dragon. The hood fell upon the shoulders and long light hair tied in a pony-tail dropped on the back of the girl. A smile settled on the lips of the queen. "Your Majesty."

The dragon raised his hands, stepping a bit forward, thus letting the light of the torch fall on his face. On the gray green eyes, on the small, hardly noticeable flakes under them, brightly pink shaggy hair and long purple horns. Natsu smiled widely, pulled Lucy closely, covering her lips with a kiss. This kiss was filled with thirst, verging on despair that found its reflection in tight, exceptionally tight hugs and in the absence of tenderness, proper to their caresses. It seemed that it was their last kiss although that wasn't so.

"So?" Natsu exhaled when their lips moved away from each other. But only their lips. The hugs remained tight.

Lucy buried her nose in Natsu's neck, breathing in his scent avidly.

"Everything's great. He doesn't suspect anything," the girl whispered, smiling, "the 'Firefly' operation has been put into action."

* * *

The King and Queen entered the secret hall of the Council. A roundish room was lit by dozens of torches, and when they crossed the threshold, all present members of the Council rose respectfully. Lucy immediately walked to the negotiating table, letting the hem of her coat spread on the stone floor. Natsu sat next to her and the others followed their example. Lucy looked around. Only thoroughly proven people were admitted to the Council, to any of which they would trust their lives. The Council had been existing for sixteen months. This is how long the King and the Queen of the humans and the dragons slowly and thoroughly had been developing a plan to neutralize the forces of the revolutionary army. This is how long it took to prepare for the forthcoming coup d'état that Mard Geer was going to carry on in a moon cycle. This is how long the royal pair had been looking for any way that could cure the Queen of her illness.

A hardly perceptible atmosphere of tension was reigning in the room. The chief of the King's guard was looking gloomily at the pattern of the table, completely immersed in his thoughts. Erza, on the contrary, was looking relaxed, though still unconsciously gripping the handle of her sword. In front of the King and the Queen, the Princess of elves – Lisanna Straus – was sitting and on her right was her faithful guardsman – Gray Fullbuster – cold and estranged like all the elves. Finally, the last member of the Council was an old friend of Natsu's, of whom Lucy had first-hand knowledge. Jellal Fernandes, a deadly dragon, who possessed a rare gift of teaching magic. During the war of humans and dragons he took many human lives, but it was in the past. Natsu assured her that a better warrior than he couldn't possibly be found in their ranks.

It was a strange and mixed company. They all belonged to different nations, but that wasn't the most important, but the fact that they all pursued the same goal – to keep peace and not let the new war break out.

"So, let's start the meeting," Natsu broke the silence.

The dragons who were gathered here spread their wings. It was their sign of defense. The sign meant that the dragon is always ready to fight. Lucy in her turn, not possessing the power of dragons, could only finger a bunch of keys in her hands. This was where her magic was held. She was positive. They would protect the kingdom. Protect and bring real peace.

* * *

The headquarters of the revolutionary army was always moving around the kingdom so that some of the royal underlings couldn't nose it out and pay an unexpected visit.

Mard loved quiet places. With the light rustle of leaves and soothing murmur of the water, he loved to sit calmly on the soft grass, propping against the trunk of the tree, letting his thoughts carry him away. At such times nobody dared to disturb him, because everybody knew: if Mard Geer was enjoying unity with the nature, then at this moment he was thinking over further actions, moves that he was going to take to dethrone the negligent governors.

Today Kyoka – a senior captain and a right hand – found her commander not surrounded by the accis trees and flowers of fire peonies, but in a revolutionary tent set up in the camp. Mard was thoughtfully looking at the line of black domino tiles drawn up on the table. His eyes were wandering around the constructed figure, and Kyoka knew that at this very moment all the forthcoming events were flashing across his mind. The ones for which they had been preparing for five long years. The ones they had been waiting for and at the same time had been scared of.

Coup d'état.

"You know, Kyoka," the dragon suddenly spoke in a quiet, insinuating voice, as its owner slowly took a tile off the table. "It is so entertaining that it is even funny. I have always been interested why nobody realized it, as all this truth lies on the surface. You just have to try a bit and you will see it. But no. Only the few will recognize it."

Kyoka frowned, slowly walking into the tent.

"What do you mean, Mard?"

The man raised his head, meeting the eyes of his subordinate, and in his dark eyes bewilderment was splashing, as if he didn't understand how the woman could ask such stupid questions. The answer was so evident.

"I mean that anyone can change history. You just need to get up and do it."

"It's not so easy, Mard. For some it is an unbearable burden."

"This someone is just a fool," the dragon waved it off. "There's nothing impossible for a dragon. Only having driven off useless thoughts and started to act, the dragon can overthrow the whole periods. Though, on the other hand, if the majority wasn't so stupid we wouldn't be able to achieve so soon the disappearance of the kingdom named Scarlet Fiore from the pages of history."

Mard stopped talking, plunging into his thoughts again. In the marquee the crackling of a magic fire was heard, which was casting long shadows on the wall, drawing scary patterns. But no one of the inhabitants of the marquee was paying attention to it. Kyoka was going about her business, when Mard started to speak again.

"How stupid people are," he whispered softly, turning a black domino tile in his fingers. He put it back in its place, and triumph appeared on his face, one that Kyoka had never seen before. Frightening exultation. "Just one drop of poison poured into a boundless ocean is enough for it to poison itself." Mard smiled, softly pushing one single tile forward. "And the most paradoxical thing is that the poison doesn't even have to be the poison. You just have to convince the ocean of it." The tiles were falling over each other one by one. "To spread a small rumor that the queen can't have children is enough for these miserable creatures to make a mess that will destroy them…"

" _Are you sure of it?" the Duke Corona asked, anxiously shaking his scarlet wings._

 _Jackal nodded confidently._

" _I heard myself that a great doctor Grandeeney had visited the queen. She said exactly: 'You will never be able to have children, Your Majesty.' And we can't doubt the words of such a respectable doctor."_

 _The duke sighed sadly._

" _Poor Queen. It must have become a hard blow for her."_

" _Yeah," Jackal grinned, "but now the other question arises, who will inherit the throne?"_

 _Waving his long scaly tail, Jackal turned around and left the duke in a deep pensiveness, while a nasty smile spread on his lips. Well, he just had to make the round of a few more high-ranking humans and his task will be completed._

 _The discord will be sown._

"…you just have to settle a tiny thought into their minds: the queen won't be able to present an heir to the kingdom. But who will become the next king? He who will be chosen by the royal pair? But who will he be? Definitely, either a human or…"

"… _a dragon! Do you understand, gentlemen, what it means! We thought that the war was over, that the peace had been made between us long ago. But imagine just for a second that someone of the two nations will come to the throne. It can mean only one thing: if a human gets the crown, then humans will win the centuries-old war, but if the dragon does, then… Well, you understand. It threatens discord, riot and civil war! We cannot let the King and the Queen choose an heir or adopt children. If the Queen cannot give birth to a half-blood who would equally have the blood of both dragon and human, then we do not need such Queen!"_

Mard was watching the black chips falling down one by one on a negotiating table, destroying a constructed pattern, while in his eyes the approaching events were reflected.

"One rumor after another, one assumption scarier than the previous one, and former friends will become enemies, and former enemies, on the contrary, will join their forces."

" _Laxus, how can you say such things?!" the Duke Justine exclaimed._

 _A menacing dragon with huge yellow, like thunder lightning, wings turned around, contemptuously eyeing a human man from head to foot._

" _I am a dragon, human! I will never grovel before humans, and I will do my best so that the bearer of the dragon blood will become a new king. And if for this I'll have to suppress all the miserable humans… Well, may the Goddesses of the Scarlet Kingdom forgive me, I will do that. And you won't stop me, Freed!"_

 _The man touched a sword hilt with his hand, without hesitations meeting the eyes of the dragon burning with anger._

" _You are stupid if you believe these terrible rumors. You are stupid if you are ready to sacrifice peace for the sake of your own vanity. You are just stupid, Laxus."_

"And when the kingdom where all high society are busy with plotting, promoting candidacies and putting a spoke in each other's wheels, the weakened kingdom will be struck with a new danger, which will destroy peace collapsing before everyone's eyes as it is. "

" _Your Majesty," a shout sounded in a huge library hall. Natsu raised his head meeting the frightened eyes of Romeo – a young recruit of the dragon army. The boy was breathing heavily, trying to calm down._

" _What happened, Romeo?"_

" _Dwarfs… and giants…," Romeo inhaled more air finally, blurting out in one breath, "they declared war on us!"_

The domino tiles were spinning along the pattern constructed by Mard, lying down in neat lines, bringing sparks of triumph to the eyes of the revolutionary. They were falling down, pressing down each other and intercepting any attempt to retreat. They personified this kingdom. Thoroughly built, but able to be destroyed by the smallest gust of wind.

Mard was watching, fascinated, by the way that the tiles were falling until, finally, the last tile fell on the table, making its last beautiful turn. Prostrate and destroyed.

The revolutionary smiled, picking up this last tile.

"Only our move is left," Mard said, raising his head and glancing with a dark look into Kyoka's eyes. She understood everything without words and slipped out of the marquee with a silent shadow, shouting:

"Get ready. We are heading for the Blazing Palace."

In the hands of the head of the revolutionary army the last domino was lying. The last constituent that must be thrown down.

* * *

In the Fireflies cave a clanging of clashing swords was resounding, echoing though the vaults of the cave. Moving on the soft grass with a soft tread, two opponents were circling like wild animals that were waiting for the moment of attack. Turning over in her hand a refined sword with white sapphires on its handle, Lucy grinned, looking into her husband's eyes. Natsu was enjoying the battle. With flamboyant easiness he was parrying his wife's blows, every time finishing his attack with lightning speed pressing the blade against the queen's neck. However, he couldn't help noticing that the reflexes and the speed of the girl had improved, and her small size let her skillfully evade direct blows and allowed her to strike.

"Perhaps, Your Majesty, if your opponent wasn't so wonderful and just an incredible fighter as a dragon king, then you would have a chance to gain the upper hand," the dragon teased the girl.

Lucy stopped for a moment, screwing up her eyes, but immediately began to move round the circle again. Only a sly grin settled on her lips, which was disquieting to Natsu. He certainly knew how insidious his wife could be.

Finally, having made some unsuccessful combinations, Lucy stopped, sheathing her sword.

"Let's have a rest," she whispered softly, approaching the dragon with a quiet tread. "You know, Natsu, I definitely missed the kisses of one liar… You know, the last ones were, it seems, two hours ago. Oh, Gods of Fiore, how have I lived all this time?"

Natsu grinned, put his arm around his wife's waist and held her close. He could hear her heartbeat and, it seemed, his own two hearts tried to adjust to her rhythm. However much time passed, he was sure that his hearts will always belong to these fragile hands and the eyes where the universe had settled.

"Who is this liar? Should I be jealous already?" Natsu said, leaning toward the girl.

"I don't think so, Your Majesty," the queen whispered into the dragon's lips. "You can't measure your strength with this liar. He is too good of a fighter."

"Really?" Natsu grinned, ready to cover the girl's lips with a kiss, however a sharp blade of a skillfully trimmed dagger didn't let him carry out what he planned.

"Really. But sometimes his vanity clouds his eyes."

Natsu looked down where a hand wearing a leather glove was clenching firmly the handle of a dagger. Smiling, he met Lucy's eyes.

"But you should know, Your Majesty, such power is only in your hands. Nobody else can put a dagger against my neck."

Lucy smiled softly, touching with her lips the lips of the dragon, and moved her hand away.

"I'm glad to hear that," the girl whispered, stepping back. "I couldn't bear it, if something happened to you."

"Lucy, our plan will work. Nobody will be able to do harm to my family."

"I hope so," the queen said. She clasped her husband's hand and led him to the edge of the lake where a rug was spread with some food. Making herself comfortable in the dragon's arms, Lucy fixed her eyes on the swans swimming peacefully that weren't paying any attention to the people sitting on the shore.

"So it is a curse?" Natsu broke the silence settled between them.

Lucy nodded.

"Yes, Grandeeney said that someone had put an ancient curse of witches upon me. Not difficult to guess who it was."

"That witch from the wedding?"

"Yes… God, how could I fail to understand that something was wrong! Who in his right mind would come up to the queen and foretell such a terrible thing? She was certainly from "Tartaros".

Natsu embraced Lucy's waist tighter.

"Did she say how we can break the curse?"

"Yes," the girl whispered, "we need to find the witch who put the curse on me. She is the only one who can remove the spell."

Natsu turned his head, meeting Lucy's eyes, and said firmly:

"We will surely find her. I promise you."

Lucy smiled, touching the cheek of the dragon with her hand, and softly ran the tips of her fingers over the coarse surface of the flakes.

"I know, Natsu. And I believe in us," Lucy raised herself up, rubbing the tip of her nose against the nose of her husband. "I had doubts, I admit it. There was a time when I really thought that we wouldn't be able to do anything, but now my heart is free of doubts. I love you, Natsu. And I know that you love me. And could there be any obstacles between real love?"

She cupped her husband's face, pulling him into a gentle kiss, filled with all the power of their love. She ran her hand through his disheveled hair, suddenly realizing what exactly they needed now and, as if guided by the sixth sense she pulled a black jacket off the dragon's shoulders, letting herself give up to a typhoon of passion suddenly coming over. Never in her life had she felt such heat and passion and it seemed that her heart was about to break free from her chest because of the hot touches of his hands and because of the greedy kisses and tight embraces.

She was giving herself up to this stream of feelings, as if being born and dying again. Again and again, ready to come through all this together with Natsu.

And they didn't pay attention to the fireflies circling above their heads and the faint shining of silver pollen.

 _Only the chosen can enter the house of the dead fairy._

 _People who are destined to change the history._

 _And if their motives are pure and their hearts are free of doubts, then, according to the legend, a miracle may happen and the spirit of the dead fairy will appear just for a few seconds. But these seconds can be enough for her to present The Chosen with a gift by way of her pollen. Pollen which according to the legend is able to cure illnesses and ailments, take terminal patients away from the hands of death and even grant immortality. But nobody knows if it's true or not, because for a few centuries no one has found houses of the dead fairies… Perhaps, it's just a myth._

* * *

The Scarlet Fiore was plunged into frightening silence. It seemed that the city had become desolate. Neither the usual quiet sound of talking of the occasional city dwellers, nor the clatter of beer cups in the "Three Dragons" bar, nor songs, nor the clicks of heels of the beautiful dancers were heard. It seemed that even nature decided to abate her voice, bringing a calm and cloudless sky to the kingdom. Only bright red stars were shining in the firmament. It wasn't surprising. Today in the afternoon Fiore had learned about the attack of dwarfs and giants and, not expecting such actions, was taken unawares. According to the last reports, more than a thousand humans and dragons were killed.

Mard, wrapped in a black cloak, together with the main group of the operation (consisting of five dragons) was quickly crossing the streets of the city, moving as a silent shadow toward the palace.

In a complete silence they went round the east side of the palace. There was no entrance here; only naked stone of the rising fortified wall, but for the dragons such obstacles were ridiculous. Mard looked closer. There wasn't a single dragon round the eastern tower and at the very top a scarlet flame was twinkling – a sign from Jackal that the way was clear. The man turned around, nodding to the detachment. Throwing the cloak off his shoulders, Mard spread his wings, letting his strength break free: black horns became bigger, curving like snakes; black flakes and sharp claws appeared on his hands and the dark eyes of the dragon filled with a black sheen. Flapping his wings, he rose off the ground, appearing at the top of the tower with lightning speed. In a moment, the rest of the detachment landed behind him.

"You are thirty seconds late," Jackal complained, already in a battle shape.

"What about the guard?" Mard asked, taking no notice of his subordinate's remark, purposefully entering the corridor of the palace.

Jackal shrugged his shoulders, following him.

"As I told, today there is three times less guards. Being afraid, the King and Queen sent half of the garrison to the borders. Scared that dwarfs and giants will get to them," Jackal said derisively, snorting. "Little chickens."

"Fine, so we'll sort it out without unnecessary noise. The other five detachments will deal with the guard that is left. We have until three am to seize the palace completely."

The detachment consisting of six dragons walked along the deserted corridors of the palace, heading towards the chamber of the King and Queen. Mard deeply inhaled the air saturated with the approaching victory, feeling his heart beating triumphantly. He had been waiting for this moment for five long years. Five years of hatching a plan that would be able to give him back his lost pride and honor, with which he had been fighting ferociously at war, and which was mercilessly taken away from him by peacemakers who didn't want bloodshed. Well, he allowed them to live a peaceful life for five years. Enough time for a fairy tale. But this time the fairy tale will have a bloody ending.

The detachment found itself before the doors of the royal chamber and, as Jackal said, there was no guard at the door.

Stopping before it for a few seconds, Mard took a deep breath, glancing briefly at Kyoka who just shortly nodded, unnoticeably for others, and it gave him strength to push the door open without hesitation and cross the threshold.

It was a boundary. A boundary separating the present from the future.

"What's going on?" the King asked, frowning from the sudden noise. The very next moment he was grabbed by the half-transformed Tempester and Keyes, and the Queen, still asleep, was rudely dragged off the bed by Kyoka and Jackal.

Mard grinned, watching the fierce but unsuccessful attempts of the Dragon King to tear himself away from the tight grip of the revolutionaries.

Mard walked round the chamber, lighting the wax candles with his fire breath. Finally, the light illuminated the room. Natsu and Lucy saw the assailants.

"I repeat the question," the King growled. "What's going on here?!"

Mard smiled, spreading his arms at his sides.

"Coup d'état, Your Majesty."

The queen, who was held on her knees by the dragons, looked around the chamber, whispering:

"Where is the guard?"

"Oh, Jackal took care of that," the revolutionary said, tapping the dragon on the shoulder.

Lucy looked at the him angrily, spitting out:

"Jackal, you dirty traitor!"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he smiled, squeezing tighter the arms of the queen, "but my soul was always calling for riot."

"We've cherished a rat in our bosom," Natsu hissed.

Jackal gasped with feigned offence.

"Oh come on, Your Majesty, I'm a pureblooded dragon!"

Mard walked toward the middle of the room, taking his stand before the kneeling King and Queen. Triumph was flowing through his veins. Everything was just as he had imagined. Even easier. It seemed that the Goddesses of the Scarlet Kingdom themselves were illuminating his way.

"Less talking, more acting. The King and Queen of the Scarlet Fiore, I require you to break the peace treaty between Fiore and the Scarlet Kingdom with your own hands, thus depriving them of the united status. If you do it without any resistance, I will let you go safe and sound, granting you enough gold so that you could live the rest of your worthless life without knowing any sorrows and misfortunes."

Lucy grinned.

"How noble of you…"

"… but we will sooner swallow scorching lava than destroy what we have built for so long," Natsu finished.

Mard attentively looked at the human and the dragon kneeling before him, asking:

"Are you sure of your decision?"

Natsu and Lucy exclaimed together without hesitation:

"Yes!"

"Well, you don't leave me any other choice," Mard said slowly, looking at his subordinates. Steel flashed in his scarlet eyes. "Execute the King and Queen."

Mard turned round, not willing to see it, and clenched his fists. As the Goddesses of the Scarlet Kingdom were his witnesses, he didn't mean it. He gave them a choice and they took it wrong. It's only their fault that their heads were resting now separately from their bodies. Frowning, Mard sniffed, trying to discern the smell of the blood, but there wasn't any. Turning around, the dragon recoiled, stupefied. Pointing their swords at him, all his detachment was squaring off, and the King and Queen, having freed themselves from the hold of the revolutionaries, were looking at him coolly.

"What are you doing?" Mard exclaimed, appealing to his detachment, but they didn't seem to hear him. There was emptiness in their eyes.

"Don't even try," Lucy said. "It's useless. It is a spell of submission. They don't hear you now."

"It's impossible! To take its effect now, this magic had to be cast a few weeks before this day!"

The queen smiled.

"Thirteen days before, to be precise," she said.

" _Everything's great. He doesn't suspect anything," the girl whispered, smiling, "the 'Firefly' operation has been put in action."_

 _Natsu carefully moved the girl away from him._

" _Are you sure that you weren't seen?"_

" _Yes, Zodiacs and I sneaked into their camp under the cover of night and the spell of partial invisibilit we did all we had to do. Neither their patrol, nor anybody else noticed us. The spell of submission was cast. We just have to wait till it spreads through their bodies completely, and then…" Lucy smiled happily, "we won."_

"It can't be true!" Mard exclaimed. "How could you find our location, and why the hell exactly these six persons? I could have picked anyone for the operation!"

"Not six," the voice of a dragon sounded, who was standing still like a motionless statue till that moment.

He walked forward, sheathing his sword.

"Jackal?!"

The dragon grinned, tousling his hair.

"Sorry, Mard. But being your companion at war and being your underling in your maniacal desire to bring back the bygone days didn't seem to be a bright prospect for me. And if at the battlefield I was ready to give my life for you, now… Well, sorry. I fought too much to start a new war."

"Jackal entered our service four years ago, back then when we were in Fiore, and all this time he has provided us with the information about your plans and location," Lucy explained. "I admit, it would have been difficult for us without him. He was our trump card in this game and we don't regret having staked everything on him one day. He was the one who told us that what happened to me was most likely a curse that you had put on me with the help of one of your underlings. He was the one who had spread a rumor about my infertility. He was the one who told us where your camp was and who you would pick for the operation. We only had to wait."

Natsu walked a bit forward.

"Yeah, you were like a terribly agile rat and we needed a good mousetrap to catch such a prey. I admit, a report about your union with dwarfs and giants surprised us quite a lot. These two nations have hankered after the lands of our ancestors, rich in minerals, for a long time. The idea of stirring them up against us when the kingdom must have been weakened by discord is definitely worth being praised," Natsu bowed theatrically. "But you should have taken into account that I've long been on friendly terms with the elves royal family, and when fervent armies of dwarfs and giants were approaching the border, the detachments of elves, dragons and humans armed to the teeth were already waiting for them. The war they had declared was finished in two hours, without even having started properly."

"But I've heard the battles are still going on…"

"False information, spread specially for the delight of the revolutionaries' ears."

"Well, and now," Lucy said, "our guard is catching your detachments that had to seize the palace. I think they must have finished already."

Natsu came up to Mard Geer, pulling the sword made of dragon steel out of a leather scabbard and put the cutting edge against the revolutionary's neck.

"Give up, as the head of the revolutionary organization "Tartaros". You've lost."

At this very moment the doors of the royal chamber flew open, and the detachment of the royal guards headed by Erza Scarlett and Jellal Fernandes burst in.

Mard was surrounded, totally unarmed and without the slightest chance of winning. He was looking at the soulless eyes of his faithful subordinates, at the sympathetic eyes of Jackal and at the firm eyes of the King and Queen. Perhaps, Mard Geer has lost, but he will do his best to keep his head raised high. And when the lacrima handcuffs snapped on his wrists, Mard grinned, looking towards the royal pair:

"Only one thing will stay unchanged," he said, looking at her belly, "you will remain childless. Seilah died last year. You will never be able to remove the curse."

And the despair that flashed in the Queen's eyes was the best present for the revolutionary.

* * *

 **Three weeks after the invasion of the revolutionaries.**

Lucy tucked in a strand that came out of her high hairstyle created by Levy. The maid of honor, after the birth of her firstborn was spending little time with the queen, but due to this, these rare hours became priceless for Lucy. Turning her head the girl smiled watching the toddler Robby moving her tiny legs, unsteadily walking towards the aunt Erza, who, wearing a dress unusual for her, was smiling sincerely, stretching her arms towards the baby.

"You and Gajeel created a real treasure," Scarlet said softly, when the dark-haired girl was on her knees.

Levy smiled, watching this picture.

"Oh, we are doting on her. I have never seen Gajeel as nice as he is with her. Maybe it was Robby who made our family complete, you know…"

Erza clicked her tongue quietly, casting a guarded look toward the queen, and Levy, having realized her negligence, covered her mouth with her palm.

"Oh, I'm begging you, stop it!" Lucy exclaimed, "I have already made up my mind I will never experience the joy of maternity."

"Perhaps, all is not lost yet. Mermaids keep creating new medicines that just work wonders. I've heard that Gray often visits their settlement, so you can go with him one day," Levy suggested.

"I'll think it over."

Erza suddenly roused herself, without even noticing that Robby started to wind with enthusiasm a scarlet strand of her hair round her tiny fist.

"Oh, and have you heard why Gray always visits the settlement of the mermaids?" having got a negative answer, she continued: "they say that he is going to marry one of them. I'm not sure, but…"

Lucy didn't hear the following words, suddenly feeling that it had become stuffy in the room. Trying not to give away her state, the queen took a deep breath in and let it out. Light dizziness overtook her and it seemed that she was about to be turned inside out.

"Lucy," Erza suddenly broke off her story, "are you alright? You've gone pale."

The girl nodded, but suddenly felt that she urgently had to go to the bathroom.

 _Cana was sitting in her hut, drinking a port rum recently delivered, listening to a measured ringing of the talismans and dream catchers. In the room freshness and lightness was floating, that hadn't visited her possessions for a long while. Smiling, the girl took a deck of cards from her pocket._

" _Well, let's try," she murmured, spreading a new tree._

 _A happy smile settled on her lips when she saw a new future._

" _Just as I told," a whisper resounded in the hut. "Just like real princes and princesses have it."_

That same evening Lucy was standing in the chamber, nervously fiddling with the silk handkerchief while waiting for her husband, and when the door finally opened Lucy immediately threw her arms round Natsu's neck, with a familiar movement resting her nose against the hollow of his strong neck. The dragon felt her hot tears.

"Lucy, what happened?" he asked anxiously.

The girl moved away, her eyes covered with a shroud of tears meeting the eyes of Natsu, bright and lively. Smiling happily, Lucy whispered in a low voice:

"The liar will become a father soon."

A few seconds were enough for Natsu to understand the meaning of these words, and in his eyes, just like in hers, hot tears appeared. He embraced Lucy, holding her tight in his arms. Right now they were happy as never before.

 _And somewhere in the cave of Fireflies the spirit of a tiny fairy tossed her long light hair and smiled, feeling that she had done everything right._

* * *

 **40 years old**

It was a bright, lovely day in the Scarlett Fiore with a light wind, dancing around the palace and a pleasant scent of a rain, recently fallen. Lucy enjoyed such days of calm and unity with the people close to her.

"Mom, can I have the same hairstyle as Robby?" Elie exclaimed, waving her short legs on a carved chair.

Lucy smiled, combing the scarlet hair of her daughter with a silver hairbrush.

"Of course, princess."

"Oh my god, you're such a girlie," Haru grumbled, looking askance at his twin sister. Elie put out her tongue at her brother and paid for that with a reproachful look from her mother.

"Where is Hotaru*?" trying to distract her mother from this incident, the girl asked innocently. "He promised to give me a ride on his back."

"I also want to learn how to fly soon," Haru said dreamily, shaking the small wings behind his back.

Elie made a sly face.

"Dad said he had already been able to fly when he was six. And Hotaru as well. Haru, you are a disappointment of the family."

"Elie!" Lucy exclaimed.

The boy hemmed, showing by his manner that the words of his sister didn't touch him at all.

"And you don't even have horns yet, looser, look who's talking."

"I don't need them," Elie said grandly, "I will be pretty as mom. Even without horns. Yet my wings are bigger than yours."

This argument could have lasted some time longer, but it was interrupted by a sudden visitor, on whom the two scamps hung immediately, as soon as he crossed the threshold.

"Dad!"

"Hey, little ones," Natsu gave two kisses to each one and, taking the twins up in his arms, walked toward Lucy, covering her lips with a quick kiss. "Lucy, haven't you seen Hotaru? I wanted to show him the elves weapons I brought."

"No. He went to the forest early this morning and hasn't come back yet. Well, you know him. He is the spitting image of you in your younger years."

Lucy noticed that a complacent smile appeared on her husband's face. Grinning to herself, she picked up the princess, placed her next to herself and continued combing her red hair, just like her grandfather's. From the corner of her eye the queen was looking at Natsu who had brought some elf toy and was showing it to their amazed son. Children's laughter and low voices were resounding in the room. Lucy enjoyed this moment, feeling the real happiness being in the man she loved and the children who had become the most important people in her life. Lucy couldn't even think of what would be if the frightful curse hadn't disappeared as if by magic. She was afraid even to imagine what would have happened to their life and the life of the kingdom. Lucy was thanking all the Gods for having protecting her against this fate.

Finally, when Elie's hair was plaited into the hairstyle she wanted, and Haru, having messed up his light strands, made himself comfortable on his father's chest, the door of the room opened and the elder son entered. Hotaru looked excited, with a shining look of bright brown eyes and flush on his cheeks. For the umpteenth time Lucy was struck by the resemblance between her elder son and his father.

"Something happened?" Natsu asked, noticing his son's state.

Hotaru nodded.

"Mom, dad, you won't believe it," he said, smiling widely. "I was walking along the forest and came across an accis tree! And there was a door! Can you imagine a door in a tree! I went in, and there was a huge grotto! With a waterfall!"

Lucy and Natsu exchanged shocked glances, uttering synchronously:

"It can't be true!"

 _The sun peeped into the windows of the summer palace of the royal family, running with a soft touch over the rows of the pictures in golden frames standing on the fireplace. For a moment it stopped on a picture of a newborn baby who was smiling at the magic camera shining with his light brown eyes. It ran over the pictures of twins as alike as two peas in a pod. It was possible to tell them one from the other only by the color of their hair. There was also a picture of the king and queen here, who were clasping a five-year old Hotaru in their arms. There were pictures where Elie and Haru were playing tag, and where all the family was on a picnic._

 _It was a long and thorny path. But in the end they found their "happily ever after"._

 **The End.**

*Hotaru – "Firefly" in Japanese.


	3. Werewolf

_Note from the author:_  
This story was inspired by the magic motives of the Secret Garden melodies and I still remember with how much thrill I was writing it. I hope you can also feel all the magic and mystery of this world and love it as much as I did.

" **Werewolf"**

" _Long ago, when the world was united and there wasn't even a trace of a magic wall, when the rivers and the lakes were reflecting the faces of the Gods and the Goddesses, and the whisper of the wind was always ready to help wayfarers who lost their way, a great misfortune overtook the world. Two best friends, the Moon Child and the Fire Child, fell in love with Mene, the Goddess of the nocturnal luminary and a terrible feud broke out between the friends._

 _The innocent lands became flooded with rivers of blood. A sorrowful howl of thousands of the Moon Children and screams of the Fire Children could be heard in all the corners of the Universe, and Mene, the Goddess of the nocturnal luminary, couldn't bear the force of rage of the two nations. She put her tears together in a bowl and poured them onto the Earth, erecting a majestic wall between the nations._

 _Mene, the Goddess of the nocturnal luminary, said:_

" _From now on the Moon Children cannot touch the Fire Children, for dreadful tortures will befall both of them. From now on the Wall, that you can see, will become for you a boundary that the warring nations must not cross. Only when the Moon Child is able to touch the Fire Child, without experiencing the torments of hell, the wall will fall and I will destroy my curse._

 _Let it be so."_

 **Ancient legends of Fiore.**

* * *

 **07.07.777**

"Water. Hot water, quickly!"

"We need fresh towels!"

"Where the hell is the priestess? She will give birth soon!"

Layla forced a smile, tightly squeezing her husband's warm hand. For years she had been waiting for this. She had been praying to Almighty Mene and Almighty Odin for the gift of heaven and now her wish was coming true. A new pain made her let out a mournful whining, but Layla only squeezed her husband's hand tighter, screwing up her eyes and trying to concentrate on the soft voice of the doctor.

"Come on, dear, push," – an old she-wolf tried to cheer her up. "A bit more! Come on!"

Jude grasped the hand of his wife, whispering something encouraging in her ear. The twelfth advisor of the young Alfa took off running right from the meeting of the pack, as soon as he heard a mournful half-scream half-howl of the she-wolf.

"Grandeeney, are you sure everything will be fine?" the man asked, concerned. "Very few hours left till midnight."

The doctor frowned, encouraging the future mother again, and looked at Jude piercing him with her bright blue eyes.

"Your child is already blessed by Mene and the Full Moon. It's the greatest gift, young adviser. Everything will be fine."

"But the transformation…"

The man wasn't destined to finish speaking. A druidess clothed in a dark velvet dress with a scattering of silver moons on the hem burst into the house. She was holding a swagger stick made of thousand-year old accis embellished with a moonstone given by Mene. The chestnut-colored hair of the young priestess was spread on her shoulders like a smooth arboreal surface and the look of her dark eyes was bearing the deepness of all the knowledge of the universe that she had inherited. With a soft tread she came up to the head of the bed, touching the forehead of Layla, wet with sweat.

"The she-wolf is longing to come out," the priestess whispered. "The light of the Full Moon is beckoning her."

Layla's sickly cry resounded through the hut and hundreds of her mates howled back. The pack felt a new life coming.

"Cana," Layla looked into the eyes of the priestess. "What is waiting for my daughter?"

The girl looked attentively into the eyes of the woman in childbirth. For about a minute she was reflecting if the woman deserved her prophesy, and then touching her wet forehead, her eyes blazed with a blue light.

"Born under the seventh Full Moon, in the seventh month, on the seventh day, your daughter is destined to become Blessed Mene, the goddess of our nocturnal luminary. She will become a beautiful she-wolf and legends will be composed about her in the songs and chants of our nation. She will bring peace and bliss to the land of our ancestors with her kindness and nobility. The way of moonstones and fire is paved for her. I name her Lucy, as the daughter of Odin and Mene, and give her my blessing."

The cry of the two rose to the Moon – of the mother and her newborn baby. Mene smiled in her dwelling.

* * *

 **16.06.795**

The week of the Fire Festival came to Magnolia. People from all the corners of the world gathered in the capital of mages to enjoy a majestic performance of the most renowned guilds of the world. In the streets day and night the loud laughter of visitors could be heard, and the scent of an expensive ale and port rum was floating in the air. Newly arrived merchants in eager rivalry were extolling overseas silks made by magic fireflies and delicacies brought from all corners of the human world (from meat flavored with dragon spices to exquisite desserts that attracted kids at once). Eastern merchants were famous for jewelry of unbelievable beauty, and the merchants from the north – for their heavy folios, wrapped in rare leather of dragons and furies. But the most popular were the goods of werewolves brought across the wall: medicinal tinctures and potions of wolf saliva from lycanthropes*; clothes of the fox fur from kitsunes**; amazing souvenirs from lovely tanukis*** and meat of rare animals from aniotos****.

Trade with the werewolves had been established. A peace treaty between the King of Fiore and Alfa of all the werewolves had been signed a few centuries ago bringing peace and prosperity. Mutually beneficial relations were established between the nations. Merchants and traders could easily pass through a special passageway in the wall, transporting goods through the border and trading easily both at the human market and at the market of werewolves. For a long time no one had believed in fairytales that mothers told their children before going to bed. Peace was established and there couldn't be any Moon Child and Fire Child. Special gloves were invented for terrible burns from the touches of the two once warring nations. The magical power of the wall awakened only during the Full Moon and then, transformed werewolves, not controlling themselves, couldn't get to the human side. Both nations considered it a necessary measure.

"Natsu, have you seen the new notice?" a fair-haired girl shouted to the guy who was counting out golden dragons to a merchant for two smoked hams.

The guy raised his head, curious.

"Paying well?"

The girl winked cheerfully, coming up close to Natsu, and gave him a folded leaflet.

"Fabulously."

The guy nodded to the girl, took his hams and moved through the noisy crowd on the main square towards a more secluded place.

Natsu Dragneel walked with a heavy tread along the paved road. Curious passers-by were giving sidelong glances at his pink hair, unusual for this place. But he only smiled widely at this, deep beams shining in the corners of his eyes, demonstrating to the world that however they laughed and pointed at him, he didn't care. He looked like a true seaman with dark shabby pants tucked into high leather boots with metallic toes sparkling in the sun. Looking like the leather of wild snakes, the price for one pair was fifteen thousand dragons. A gray linen shirt fit perfectly the well-built body of the wayfarer with amazingly beautiful embroidery of scarlet bodies of flame, indicating he wasn't of this place. On his wide shoulders there was a dark jacket with silver buttons the size of a ten dragon coin. A bag was thrown over Natsu's shoulder and a sword was resting in the belt of his pants.

Natsu Dragneel was a mythical creature hunter. One of the best in his field, though it was known only within a narrow circle. Such an occupation was considered smuggling and was punished with the death penalty by their king. But when you are paid half a million gold coins for a dragon horn, and a million silver coins for a necklace of werewolf fangs, it is difficult to think about the righteousness of your actions.

Having walked into a tavern, situated on the outskirts of the fair, Natsu nodded shortly to a local hostess and ordered a cup of ale, settling in the farthest corner of the bar. He knew few people in this city. Only Lisanna, the same kind of hunter as he, and her family: brother Elfman, huge as rock, and beautiful sister Mira, running one of the most expensive taverns in the city. He had come to Magnolia only three days ago looking for new job requests and, as it turned out, he didn't miscalculate. Three days later he was holding a bounty notice which was a job request from an unknown customer.

The leaflet said:

" **WEREWOLF HUNTING!**

 _On the other side of the wall, in the pack of lycanthropes, there is a she-wolf with silver hair and eyes that absorbed the color of thousand-year old wood. One golden strand falls on her eyes and the sign of the Full Moon was left on her side at birth. Take the she-wolf across the wall dead or alive._

 **AWARD:** _1,000,000,000 Dr._

Natsu choked on his ale. Doing this job would allow him to "live in clover" till the end of his days, without knowing any sorrow or trouble. The hunter wasn't new to catching werewolves, but usually he was ordered to catch kitsune or tanuki to entertain the crowd. But catching lycanthrope or anioto was much harder. These predators weren't only strong and enduring, but they also possessed the power of regeneration and the family spirit. The main weapon of a lycanthrope was its howl and the main weapon of an anioto was its roar. So if you let your prey appeal to its pack with a cry, you can consider yourself dead. Reprisal against hunters was merciless. How many stories had Natsu heard about the public tearing apart of strangers on the main squares of the werewolf settlements? These bogeyman stories were used to scare children so that they didn't decide – God forbid! – to start on the dangerous path of a smuggler.

But Natsu didn't have parents. The streets had brought him up, together with a strict old woman who taught him Fire magic. No one would cry for Natsu. Porlyusica, the old woman, would certainly just snort and say something like: "That scamp asked for it. He should have listened to me!"

Astringent ale burned his throat. The meat he bought was incredibly tasty.

Having read the leaflet again, Natsu grinned. It's better to take more food; he had a long way to go. It was no less than a two-day's journey to the wall, and it was twenty two days till midnight. He had to depart at dawn, to get ahead of other bounty hunters.

* * *

 _He saw the wall collapsing. He saw the silver hair of the she-wolf and the scar of a brand on her silver side. The She-wolf was howling at the moon face, and Mene, the Goddess of the nocturnal luminary, was smiling at the she-wolf from the skies, stretching out her hand. The she-wolf was howling and someone's dim figure was standing next to her. Mene was smiling, whispering something in her language._

 _The She-wolf howled louder than before and the stones that had been forming a magic wall for millenniums started to crumble into millions of golden specks of dust. They soared into the sky, turning into Fireflies._

 _Mene beckoned the fireflies and someone's dim figure landed next to the She-wolf._

 _The wall was destroyed completely._

 _The man jumped abruptly from his bed. His heart was thumping in his chest, and all his body was wet with sweat. He was breathing heavily, trying to calm down and drive away the terrible image from his dream._

" _It can't be true," the man whispered, in a sort of delirium, "It just can't be true."_

 _He rose to his feet. In the night firmament, as if mocking at him, the full moon was shining._

 _With shaking hands he dipped an eagle pen into the ink._

" _It just can't be true," he whispered again._

 _Before his eyes, together with the image of the She-wolf, the memories of his past stood. Bloodthirsty animals were mercilessly tearing up his father and mother at the general court._

" _No way!" suddenly the man whispered firmly, depicting on the parchment sheet the first words. "I won't let it! I won't let these beasts break out!_

 _The words were appearing on the parchment. This same night the royal Mage and Clairvoyant Jose Porla sent his order to the hunters._

 _To catch a she-wolf with the brand of the Full Moon._

* * *

 **18.06.795**

Dozens of carriages were moving along the uneven road, swaying in time with the movements of the horses. It was a lovely day. The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky, a melodious chirr of the crickets was clearly heard, and spreading on either side of the road were boundless fields of golden wheat. Natsu set straight his straw hat, the wide brim of which was casting a shadow on his face, and moved a long ear of wheat from one corner of his lips to another.

The long road was exhausting. Even his bay horse that at the beginning of the journey strove to break into a canter was lazily moving its hoofs under the influence of a blazing sun. He had bought it for forty dragons from some sot. The mare was good, with strong legs, smart black eyes and impossibly long eyelashes. Natsu got the carriage from the nomadic gypsies, and bought the goods (mainly meat delicacies) from the same seller from whom he had bought the two smoked hams two days before.

Only merchants who were taking goods across the border and superior nobility from the royal court could get across the wall. It was easier to procure a carriage, a false license and a dozen lamb ribs than to try to impersonate some heir to the throne in some generation.

Natsu was sure no one else was ahead of him on the way to the lycanthrope prey. Twenty days were left till the Full Moon, and the easiest way was to wait for that day. Only during the Full Moon werewolves, while transforming, lost their connection with their human nature and became wolves completely. Though the Moon was making them stronger, it was much easier to catch just a She-wolf, than a She-wolf with a human mind. But Natsu wasn't a simple hunter, and he wasn't looking for easy ways.

Closer to midnight, when dark blue velvet covered the firmament and the light of the moon and thousands of stars was illuminating their way, it stood before them. The Wall. As tall as centuries-old trees, it was impossible to see its top. Young merchants with trepidation and admiration in their eyes raised their heads, remembering this moment: the wall lit by the moonlight, the giant statue separating the human world from the world of the werewolves. Nobody knew who had created this wall. The Goddess Mene was considered to be a made up fairytale for those who didn't want to look for the truth, but whoever had built it, whatever civilization or nation, this unknown master created a work of art. Made of black stone, smooth and shining, as though someone had poured water on it, with refined patterns and magic kept inside. The Wall was the main wonder of the world. How many legends were written about it; how many riddles and mysteries surrounded it. It was studied in the academies; wayfarers were coming to look at it. The Wall was depicted in the paintings of the famous artists of different eras. Plays and musicals written about it were put on stage in theatres; songs and stories were composed.

Now it was standing before them. The Wall of the Goddess Mene.

The closer they came to it, the more excited the merchants became. The tiredness was gone without a trace. Loud talking and laughing started to resound from everywhere. Some even took out instruments and the silence of the night was cut by a violin melody, which, intertwining with the sound of the tin whistle, gave rise to a traditional motive at which one could do little more than dance. The atmosphere became friendlier, and Natsu even yielded to the general merrymaking, joining in a famous song about the Wall.

"… _And Mene prayed to the Moon,_

 _Whispering the words of a sacred prayer…"_

Light of the fires at the passageway through the border could already be seen.

"… _And the black tears of the Goddess_

 _Fell on the sinful land of the humans…"_

Rhythmical sounds of the rattle joined the violin. Merchants started to sing louder, announcing their arrival to the guards.

"… _We are waiting for you and pleading…"_

Horses neighed all at once and a wave of fresh forest air hit their faces. There was a totally different world beyond the wall.

" _Come, Fire and Moon Children!"_

"Your pass," a guard croaked at the passageway through the Wall.

Natsu smiled widely, taking out of the pocket of his shabby wide trousers a carefully folded parchment sheet with a state seal, coat of arms of the kingdom and an imprint of the paw of Alfa. The guard moved a glass candlestick closer to the sheet and examined it with a critical look. Finally, having found nothing suspicious signed the sheet and saluting, opened the passageway.

The hunter smiled, giving a sign to his horse to move forward, into the darkness spreading ahead with a frightening smooth surface.

* * *

The land of werewolves welcomed the merchants with its huge centuries-old trees, whose crowns in circumference could reach up to tens of meters. The air here was strikingly different from the one usual to the wayfarers, amazing them with its purity and freshness. The sounds of the forest life came to their ears at once: babble of the streams famous around the world for their purity, hooting of owls and the soothing rustle of leaves.

Guards at this side of the wall were standing like motionless statues on both sides of the passageway and didn't even move when the first carriage came out on to the road.

Natsu threw off his straw hat, moving along the incredibly straight forest path. The wheels of the carriage were squeaking slightly, merchants' voices sank to a whisper, and horses raised their snouts, interested, smelling the water.

They seemed to find themselves in a fairytale. The forest was captivating with its magic and everyone who moved along this path was feeling it in full force. Young merchants, bewitched, were looking at the flowers growing on either side of the path. They were looking like jellyfish and shining with deep turquoise light with moths fluttering around them. Occasionally above the heads of the wayfarers butterflies of fairy-like coloring flew, shaking silver pollen off their wings. In the crowns of the trees someone's shining eyes could be seen, and Natsu could swear that he saw snow-white wings of Pegasus somewhere far away.

Half an hour later the merchants came up to the fork in the road where they were to split up. There were wooden signs in the middle where the directions were written with an elegant handwriting: black ink – anioto, brown ink – tanuki, orange ink – kitsune, red ink – lycanthrope. Natsu, without hesitating, turned to a path leading to the settlements of wolf werewolves. As he could judge by the clatter of hooves, three more carriages followed him.

There was a long road ahead. Tens of thousands of miles could extend between the settlements of the werewolves, because for half-humans half-animals these distances were ridiculous. However for humans who didn't posses stamina and speed of the animals, a trip could take a few days or even weeks or months. Comparing to the distance to the shelter of anioto (eleven days by carriage), some twenty hours to the lycanthropes was insignificant and in good company they elapse practically unnoticed.

Dozens of thrilling stories about the countries lying outside Fiore could be heard from the merchants. About the islands where women wore only loincloths, but made the most sophisticated dresses for the royal court. About young men living in peace and harmony with dragons. About the kingdoms where people had other myths about the Wall, in one of which their pagan god ("Flutoris or Mlutoris, it seems. Curse their jaw breaking language!") got angry with people and decided to turn every second child into a monster, who became werewolves. According to the legend, his young wife Guinea was so saddened by the destiny of mankind that she asked her husband only one wish. She wished a wall so tall that it was impossible to jump it over, so broad that it was impossible to break. The god couldn't resist his wife's supplications and made a wall of Guinea's plait, as long as the globe.

"Since then the wall has been protecting the peace of the people," a worldly-wise merchant finished with a deep drawling voice. Young Romeo who was going to the side of werewolves for the first time was listening to the man with an opened mouth. Natsu just laughed. There were dozens of such legends in the world and mothers told every one of them to their children at bedtime.

At midday, when the sun shone brightly and the forest stopped being full of mystical danger, the merchants saw a clear space between trees, and the mouth-watering scent of some delicacies and children's loud laughter filled the air. Natsu sat up straight at once and took a small glass vial with bright red liquid from his breast pocket. Werewolves possessed not only strength and agility, speed and fortitude, but also an incredible sense of smell. They had an innate ability to discern lies and malicious intent, and a masking potion could perfectly hide the aura of a fire mage who was going to steal from the pack the She-wolf with a brand of the Full Moon.

The settlement of the werewolves was big, with a multitude of small houses and bright greenery. Little children, moving quickly on their bare feet were running on lush green grass playing charades. Women, wearing light linen dresses with long trains, were talking to each other, looking after their children and doing housework. Their long hair was unbound and their only accessories were ribbons with interwoven gems (opals and emeralds) on their foreheads and flowers pinned in their hair. Men were big, inspiring fear, with something wolfish on their faces.

Werewolves lived in peace and harmony with the nature. They didn't cut down forests and, as if in reward for this, the nature created such a place where the trees grew at a sufficient distance from each other so that it was possible to build a house between them. Hardly any sunshine penetrated into this place. Watching these people in dark garments dexterously moving among trees and flowers, you start to associate them involuntarily with forest elves. This is why werewolves were usually called Forest Children. And they totally justified this nickname.

"Merchants! Merchants have come!" a thin voice of a little girl resounded, who ran fast into the settlement, shouting the news about the wayfarers' arrival.

Werewolves livened up at once, heading towards the guests. Romeo who seemed to have heard a lot about "fierce and scary" monsters was bewildered. He couldn't look away from these people who with their sincere laughter and overflowing friendliness didn't look like terrible wolves from the pictures in children fairytales at all. Natsu grinned at the sight of such a surprised boy and finally got off his carriage. Numb muscles ached unpleasantly and, stretching himself, he didn't notice a red-haired boy run up to him. Baring his still small fangs (incomplete transformation), he pulled Natsu by his trouser leg.

"I can smell meat," the boy mumbled, looking at the guy with his huge brown eyes. Natsu smiled kindly, pulled on gloves of red dragon scale, fished a couple of smoked cutlets out of the carriage and offered them to the boy, tousling his red hair.

"Take it, lad!"

The small werewolf smiled widely, baring even more of his snow-white teeth, and rushed at once toward the kids curiously staring at them. Booty was always divided among the pack. Even if it was so small and not fully formed.

"I thought werewolves were… different," Romeo muttered, coming up to Natsu, while he was unharnessing his horse.

"Different in what way? Blood-thirsty, devouring raw meat of young deer and washing it down with cups of blood?"

Romeo shrugged his shoulders, waving his hand vaguely.

"Well, not in this way… Dunno, I thought they were gloomy, unsociable. Rude, maybe?" the boy looked around the settlement. Right at this moment a young she-wolf, who was running her graceful fingers over the thin strings of a harp at that moment, raised her head. A smile appeared on her lips and she slowly ran her hand over a long plait the color of night sky. Romeo froze, sighing in surprise, "but not like this."

Natsu followed his gaze, only grinning to himself. It's better for the boy not to even think about it. Werewolves honored the purity of blood and didn't allow marrying even with werewolves of different species. Living in marriage and always wearing the armor of dragon scale which was the only protection from touches of werewolves and humans, causing torments of hell, wasn't the best prospect.

He didn't have time to finish his thought, because the red cloaks of the advisors started to gleam in the distance. Two men with a kind smile came up to the carriages and bowed.

"We wish you health, merchants from foreign lands," an undersized man with plump rosy cheeks said. "I hope your way was illuminated by the light of the Goddess Mene and no troubles overtook you on your way to our settlement."

The oldest merchant bowed back.

"We also wish you health, Bob Kindhearted, the Seventh Advisor of Alfa. Our way was long, but it passed without accident."

The Second Advisor looked behind the merchant's back.

"I see four carriages. Five should have come. Has anything happened?"

"Yes, Makarov hasn't come back from the Northern Islands yet. Accept our apologies. He will come any day now and will send the opals by the coming of the Full Moon."

The advisor nodded in agreement, saying that Alfa would arrive soon. He had to make sure personally of the integrity and quality of goods. Natsu was looking at the man thoughtfully. Although he wasn't very familiar with lycanthropes, the legends about the membership of Alfa advisors were composed even on human lands. Every dog knew about the fierce Werewolf, Jude Heartfilia, main Advisor to Alfa. For eighteen years of service in the Pack he had ascended from the lowest, twelfth Advisor to the right hand of the pack leader, in large part due to his oratorical talent and wise advices, to which the young Alfa lent an attentive ear.

But who was feared and revered at the same time more than anyone, more than the king of Fiore and the first advisor, was Alfa of all werewolves.

Natsu bent down under the pressure of an unbelievable Force, which was projected by a man softly stepping on the grass with bare feet. A black veil-like cloak was wrapping him like a dark fog, lovingly touching the leader's body; a silver chain with a moonstone was hitting against his chest and sharp steel claws made a sinking feeling settle in Natsu's stomach. It seemed to be called fear. Clenching his fists, trying to control his body that suddenly betrayed him, Natsu slightly raised his head. Alfa was pale with jet-black hair and dark piercing eyes. He was stepping soundlessly and it seemed that he didn't even touch the ground. Everybody knelt before Alfa, but he just smiled softly, making a gesture for everyone to get up.

Natsu drew himself up, proudly raising his head. He didn't like being weak. Even if young Alfa of werewolves, Zeref Drays, whose name was inspiring reverent terror in any corner of the globe, was standing before him.

Zeref greeted the merchants with his slow, drawling voice, and Natsu felt like he was at a royal reception. But the kids making faces behind Alfa didn't allow this feeling to increase. A red-haired wolf cub, meeting Natsu's eyes, stuck out his tongue. Natsu snorted, sticking out his tongue back. The cubs doubled themselves up with laughter.

Because of all this tomfoolery he didn't notice that it was his turn to show his goods to Alfa. Only the fear that reappeared with the approaching of the leader announced that attention was directed to him.

"Good afternoon, esteemed Alfa," Natsu greeted. Zeref was looking at him attentively, squinting his eyes slightly. Dragneel couldn't understand what had caused such close attention. "I have brought from Magnolia…"

"You stink," Alfa suddenly interrupted his speech.

Natsu stopped in midsentence, looking at the man blankly. All the generosity on Alfa's face was gone. His hands were clenched into fists. A few drops of blood fell on green grass from how much he was digging his claws into his palms, his nostrils flared widely. The whole figure of the Wolf was expressing tension.

"Excuse me?" looking at the dark eyes of Alfa, Natsu said without inflection, trying to keep the mask of calmness till the very end.

The advisors behind Alfa exchanged glances, uncomprehending, and the settlement seemed to be all ears. The hunter could feel the eyes of everyone who was there watching him.

Zeref growled, gasping a lungful and the next moment Natsu felt all the air escaping his lungs. Alfa slammed him against the carriage, squeezing the collar of his shirt, and the fear took its possession again. In front of him two huge scarlet eyes were shining with a vertical pupil crossing the entire eyeball. Natsu gulped.

"You stink of a hunter," Alfa hissed, squeezing tighter his shirt front, and threw Natsu over himself and onto the ground. Everyone parted at once, creating an "arena". Natsu pulled himself up on his elbows, meeting the eyes of approaching Zeref. Alfa's hair grew before everyone's eyes and stood on end, as it happens to wolfs ready to rush into a fight, and coal-black hair covered his body. Zeref growled again, and a row of teeth, sharp as razors, reflected the sun, "how dare you, hunter, intrude into my possessions and hope to leave alive! How dare you to defile my lands with your contemptible smell and hope that some potion will hide your smell from me! From ALFA!"

The hunter snorted, getting up. He didn't have any chance against Alfa of werewolves, but he had no intention to die without fighting. Natsu looked around at the gawkers staring at them. Werewolves were looking with undisguised hostility, and the merchants – with fear.

"If I were you, I would worry more about the fact that your underlings don't have such a good nose," returning his gaze at the bristling Alfa, Natsu said insolently. "If my potion was a bit better, you wouldn't feel anything, dark wolf, and with the coming of twilight I would have already taken one of your bitches."

A furious roar resounded throughout all the forest, and the next moment Natsu was attacked by a huge black wolf. The hunter jumped aside. Steel teeth flashed mere centimeters from his neck. Immediately, without losing a moment, Natsu summoned the magic of fire and scarlet bodies of flame covered his fists. Alfa roared, rushing into attack again. Like black lightning he was moving around the hunter, merging into one solid black spot. At some moment Natsu felt with his sixth sense that he had to attack. At this time Alfa stopped his running, assaulting him. Flaming fist met the steel claws. Natsu felt the dragon scales break under the pressure of the wolf's claws, and they dug into his skin, tearing the flesh of his hand. One of the bones crunched piteously. Alfa leaped aside. Burn blisters could be seen on his paws, but they skinned over at once. Natsu didn't posses the power of regeneration, which is why he had to step back a bit. His right hand was no longer useful for a fight.

Hollow growling was heard from out of the jaws of the Wolf. Natsu felt his shirt soaked and he looked down, uncomprehending. The white fabric was soaked in blood. The hunter smiled bleakly. It seemed that Alfa had managed to attack him with his other paw.

Summoning the last remnants of his strength, Natsu concentrated enough fire magic in his lungs and at the new approaching of Alfa, breathed out the entire fire volley, but it flew aside without even touching Alfa's hair. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who possessed magic.

The wound on his belly was grave. The hunter tried to press down on it and lessen the blood loss at least a bit, but nothing helped. Even if he managed to save himself in some miraculous way, he would die of his wounds anyway.

His legs gave way under him. The world spun round before his eyes and suddenly he felt the softness of the grass under his cheek.

"Just stay awake!" he was shouting to himself, but a haze was coming over him again.

Even through it he saw the black wolf approaching, who was preparing to deal the last blow. Natsu wasn't going to close his eyes. If Death overtook him, he would meet it looking right into the burning scarlet eyes.

He saw Alfa preparing for his leap. He could feel the end approaching with every cell of his body. But right at the moment when he had already accepted his destiny, his eye contact with scarlet eyes of death was interrupted by a snow-white She-wolf, who stood between Alfa and the Hunter.

Zeref, who was already prepared to jump, froze like a statue, looking at the She-wolf blankly.

"Mavis," he growled. "What are you doing?!"

The She-wolf drew herself up. She was small, much smaller than Alfa, but this small body was shedding waves of Force. Natsu saw the sign of Alfa on her thigh. She was the leader's beloved woman.

"We are not killing this hunter," she said. "He didn't do anything. We punish with death only those who did harm to our pack."

"He was going to do it!"

"But didn't have time to," the She-wolf finished softly insistent. "That is why he is innocent at the moment."

Zeref strained himself, casting a look full of hatred toward the hunter.

"So what are you suggesting? Let him go unpunished? I won't allow it!" the Wolf snarled.

The She-wolf shook her snow-white head.

"No, not unpunished. I am suggesting leaving him at Lifeless lands and let nature itself decide his fate."

"With these wounds he won't live even a day."

"Then it will be Mene's will." Mavis snapped out.

Alfa looked at his wife for about a minute, trying to arrive at the right decision. Finally, he relaxed and turned away, taking his human form again.

"Take the hunter to the Lifeless lands," he snapped to his Advisors.

The snow-white She-wolf turned around, and Natsu remembered clearly the eyes looking like emeralds. He couldn't say for sure, but the She-wolf seemed to be smiling and it was the last thing he remembered before being relegated to obscurity.

Natsu didn't notice an attentive look of brown eyes lost in the crowd.

* * *

Natsu felt lightness. It seemed to him that he was floating along the serene sea, enjoying silence and peace given to him. The side of his body was hot because of the sun. Something seemed to be lying on his arm, but the hunter didn't pay attention to it. Why should he? If he was feeling so good. Calm. For the first time in a long while. He was ready to stay in this state for eternity.

But someone had other plans.

"Wake up! Hey!"

Natsu winced. Someone tried to burst into his calmness and he didn't want it. The silence was so alluring, so…

"You asked for it!"

Before Natsu had time to think about the meaning of these words, a stream of ice-cold water poured down on him. He opened his eyes sharply, bending and spitting out the water that got into his mouth. His hair stuck to his forehead and all his clothes got wet thoroughly. Pushing a wet fringe away from his forehead, Natsu opened his eyes.

The first thing that the hunter understood was that he was still in the forest. Huge crowns seemed to be pressing with their power and the greenish light was illuminating everything around. Not a single sunbeam penetrated through the thick greenery. What seemed like the sun heating the side of his body was just a pulsing wound that was burning and hurting. Turning his head to understand who interrupted his way to a better world, the hunter faced two curious brown eyes.

A girl was standing before him who was holding a wooden bucket in her hands. She bent over him with her hands on her knees. Light hair was framing her face like a golden waterfall and a blue silk ribbon with large emerald stones was tied around her forehead. The girl was practically merging into nature with her long dark green dress that revealed her pale collarbones and spread on the ground with its long train. She was looking at him with her big eyes, framed in thick eyelashes, and didn't seem to feel any uneasiness.

The girl was beautiful. Very beautiful. And everything would be fine, but for…

"You are a werewolf," the guy snorted, frowning with pain.

The girl raised her eyebrow.

"You are so observant."

"So what do you need? You're not satisfied with Alfa's decision and decided to finish me off?"

The she-wolf put the bucket away, drawing herself up.

"You are a mage, right?" she asked as if she didn't hear the last words of the hunter.

Natsu rolled his eyes, trying to make himself comfortable, resting his back against the thick bark of a tree. The advisors didn't worry about his comfort much, leaving him in Lifeless lands.

"How did you guess it?" the guy muttered sarcastically.

The she-wolf ignored his stinging remark again, continuing to look at the mage attentively.

"I want to learn magic," the girl said calmly.

"And I want fresh meat. I can't help you, whoever-you-are, Weird… She-wolf."

The girl smiled slyly, squinting her eyes at the wound that Natsu was clutching with his hand.

"I will help you to survive, hunter, and in exchange you will teach me magic."

Dragneel smirked gloomily.

"So much blood flowed out of me that no transfusion will help. To say nothing about possible infection…"

The she-wolf shook her head, grinning, as if this remark was so ridiculous that she could barely contain herself.

"Hunter, have you heard about a miraculous medicine?" the girl asked suddenly. Natsu raised his head, and at this time the She-wolf took the glove of dragon scale off her hand and licked her index finger. Thick, colorless liquid sparkled at its tip. "About the saliva of lycanthropes, for example?"

Flabbergasted, Natsu was watching the sparkling drop. The saliva of lycanthropes had a wonder-working power and could return a human from the way to a better world even in the gravest cases. Of course it couldn't make a human come back from the dead, but coping with such a wound as Natsu had was as easy as pie.

Natsu shifted his gaze to the She-wolf. Mischief and a spark of coming victory were shining in her eyes.

"Can't your priest teach you?"

"I was refused to be taken as an apprentice. Our priestess only replies to my requests that it's not my thing and it's not what I am destined for. She is always looking at me as if I was some kind of sick, or something, and she is only waiting for me to kick off," the She-wolf grumbled, rolling her eyes. "But I want! I want to learn magic."

"Even if it means uniting with a hunter?" Natsu asked.

The girl stopped talking, meeting his eyes, and said firmly:

"Even if it means uniting with a hunter"

There wasn't an ounce of pretense in this girl. She wasn't going to deceive him and it could be seen with the naked eye. Her honest, open look, full of resolution and a bit of recklessness, was talking for her.

Natsu exhaled, making his choice.

The girl opened her eyes wide in surprise when the hunter held out his not wounded hand wrapped in the glove of dragon scales toward her.

A wide smile lit up his face.

"My name is Natsu Dragneel. I am a mythical creature hunter. And I will teach you magic."

The She-wolf froze, as if not quite believing that her proposal was accepted. She was looking attentively at the outstretched hand and it seemed to Natsu that it meant for her more than she wanted to show.

Finally, the girl stepped towards him and confidently clasped the hunter's hand with hers, wrapped in a glove of dragon scale. A light smile glimmered on her lips.

"I am Lucy Heartfilia. I am a werewolf. I will get you back even from the dead."

For some reason Natsu didn't doubt the truthfulness of her words.

 **Twenty days left till the Full Moon.**

* * *

Lifeless lands were the neutral territory stretching between the settlements of the werewolves. There was no game in these places, water sources were impossible to find, and everyone who was exiled here was doomed to a death from starvation.

Lucy rendered Natsu first aid, but it wasn't enough for him to be able to move on his own, that is why the hunter was leaning on the She-wolf's arm all the way to the "shelter", as Lucy called this place. Natsu was pondering the fact about how that he had decided to get involved with the daughter of the first Advisor of Alfa could influence his future. Jude wasn't easy to get along with, and if he found out who his daughter had gotten mixed up with, the hunter would get into trouble. However, he found advantages even in this situation. In prospect Lucy could unconsciously do him a good turn in looking for the She-wolf with the brand of the Full Moon.

After at least an hour they arrived at the place they had been heading to, as far as the hunter understood. The She-wolf took him to a tall steep rock, the top of which was hidden in the leaves of the trees. The girl looked around and moved right toward it.

At first Natsu couldn't understand exactly where Lucy was heading. The rock was smooth, with dark green moss growing on the stones and twining lianas streaming from the very top. Lucy came up to the edge of the rock, casting a glance at her guest, and moved aside long threads of the lianas. Natsu raised a quizzical brow.

Behind a thick veil of the plants was a small passageway, out from which the sun was flowing with a bright light. Lucy helped the hunter to come in and Natsu froze. Deep in the rock was a spacious grotto with colorful minerals dangling from the ceiling that were shimmering with fanciful colors under the beams of the sun penetrating here. There was grass on the ground, as soft as outside, and even a few trees as huge as their mates from the forest found their shelter here. Natsu heard the sound of babbling water. It smelled of freshness and of some medical herbs in the grotto.

Lucy smiled, satisfied with the produced impression, and, after letting him enjoy the view a bit more, led the hunter towards a big, branchy tree. It was growing right under the roundish aperture, through which the sunbeams were penetrating and a blue cloudless sky was seen.

Natsu understood that the She-wolf had come here frequently. Animal skins, soft pillows and colorful blankets lay under the tree. Books were scattered here and there. Near the stream (it was actually a stream) was fishing tackle and an easel of mahogany. The entire cave looked like it was often visited by a human. Or by a werewolf, as in this case.

Lucy helped Natsu to make himself comfortable on the soft skins, placing a few pillows under his back, and immediately moved towards a small table, standing a little way off. There were some herbs on it that Natsu saw for the first time, but decided to place his trust in the She-wolf.

The pain in the side of his body wasn't so acute anymore and the hunter realized that it wasn't a very good sign. Lucy was moving fast, mixing something in a small cup, adding medicine from vessels lining in a perfect order, and casting preoccupied glances at him from time to time.

"So, let's start," she said anxiously, coming up to him with a wooden cup. In one movement tearing his shirt with lengthened claws, the She-wolf examined attentively the ragged wound. "Recovery will take more days than I supposed. But it's fine, I will get you up on your legs."

Lucy ran to the stream, getting clean water and washed his wound. Scooping a bit of red gruel in her hands wrapped in gloves, she put it on the damaged spot. Natsu clenched his teeth tightly, feeling a sharp pain. The girl was focused, applying the medicine with soft movements and Natsu was grateful to her for this. Looking down, the hunter exhaled in surprise. The wound was skinning over as he watched. Not completely, but now it seemed to be at least one month old. The girl put on this spot some acidly green leaves of a plant unknown to Natsu and bandaged it tightly. The She-wolf smelled of something floral, something distant and so familiar. But Natsu decided not to focus his attention on this.

After doing the same to his damaged arm, Lucy gave him hot broth and ordered him to have some rest, and then she threw a cloak over her shoulders and left for the settlement.

Lying on warm skins, covered with colorful blankets, listening to the soothing babbling of the stream and looking through the roundish "window" in the cave, through which the stars on the dark velvet of the sky could already be seen, the hunter thought that he could stay in this place for eternity.

His sleep had never been so calm before.

* * *

Natsu was recovering. Under the responsive supervision of the She-wolf the hunter really started to feel better. Paleness receded and a ruddy glow of health appeared on his cheeks. His eyes shone with a lively light and strength filled the body of the mage again.

The girl was coming in the early morning, bringing a nutritious breakfast (fruits and vegetables, hot cereals and soups) together with funny stories from the settlement: one of the wolf cubs stepped on Alfa's cloak; her friend fell in love with one of the anioto; the priestess hid herself in her abode with two kegs of an excellent ale. She was tending to his wound thoroughly; changing bandages, and, laughing vivaciously, listening to Natsu's stories about his adventures. The She-wolf didn't judge the job of the hunter; she shrugged her shoulders as if saying that everybody does what he likes.

"You understand that I have come here not to admire the views, right?" Natsu asked one evening.

Lucy started a small fire, cooking large pieces of mutton. She reacted quietly to Natsu's words, just sprinkling the meat with spicy seasoning.

"Yes. You have come for the she-wolf with a brand of the Full Moon. We've heard a lot about that job request."

This news was unexpected for the hunter.

"And you are so cool about it?"

Lucy threw more brushwood into the fire. The flames grew bigger.

"I understood perfectly well whom I was saving. You must realize it," the girl said slowly, watching the fire attentively. "And if you want to get the She-wolf, well, it's up to you. But I'm not sure that you can do that," she raised her head, meeting the eyes of the hunter. Something steely flashed in her eyes. "We are the pack. We won't let you take her away from us."

After that, the feud between werewolves and hunters wasn't brought up again.

Lucy spent the entire days in the grotto, taking care of Natsu. On the tenth day, when he could already move properly without feeling sharp pains, the hunter decided that it was time to return his debt. This is how Lucy started to learn magic.

"Every living being has its source of magic, but it is locked and efforts are necessary to let it break free," Natsu was saying, remembering thoroughly the lectures of Porlyusica. Lucy was sitting on the grass by the stream, meticulously writing the hunter's words down. Her concentrated look and genuine enthusiasm made Natsu smile. "Now, there is a fire inside of you going out. Only a strong gust of wind can turn it into a full-blown blaze."

"So what is needed for this?" the girl asked.

Natsu, lost in contemplation of the reflection of Lucy's profile in the current of the stream, flinched, trying to remember what he wanted to say.

"Total calmness is needed for this. You must… travel through your consciousness in search of your source of magic and as soon as you find it, we can figure out what kind of magic you posses," Natsu said in one breath. "So let's start with meditation for now. This place is perfectly created to fully plunge into yourself, so, I think, it won't be any trouble. Make yourself comfortable," the hunter came up to Lucy. The girl sat in the lotus position, tucking the hem of her dress under herself. Natsu touched the wrists of the girl, putting them on her knees palms up. "Focus on one thing. On how the wind touches your skin. Just think about it and don't pay attention to anything else. Your consciousness will sooner or later lead you to your fire."

The relaxed face of the girl was incredibly close. Her breath became even. Light wind touched her fair hair and Natsu let himself for a moment admire the beauty of the She-wolf. Her long eyelashes, proud posture and the flush on her cheeks. Her delicate fingers and slightly turned-up nose. But for this, but for the curse not letting humans and werewolves touch each other, but for a great number of "buts", he perhaps, could fall in love. But these "buts" existed. They were standing between them like a huge wall, and involuntarily an image of the Wall of the Goddess Mene separating his world from the world of Lucy appeared before his eyes. The wall was separating them too.

Natsu shook his head, driving unnecessary thoughts away, and came back to his own training.

Lucy was temperamental. She didn't have any patience and Natsu recognized himself in her, back in the time when he, being a little boy, was also sitting in the lotus position, trying to find his internal fire. He could never sit still for more than half an hour, starting to frown and grumble faintly. Porlyusica then clipped him heavily on the back of his head, screaming that she had never had such an unskillful apprentice. He would pout, run away to the city and steal apples from a stout merchant, but came back always in the evening guided by the smell of onion soup and home-baked bread. The next day it all recurred, and now Natsu was grateful to an old woman for her belief in him. Though she was always grumbling, now he realized that if she had thought he was hopeless, she wouldn't have trained him every day and wouldn't have wasted her own time.

Lucy in her turn quietly sat by the stream for three days. She came in the morning, as usual, and brought Natsu food, tended to his wound and, making sure that nothing else was needed from her, she sat by the stream, setting out on a trip to her subconsciousness. Natsu even admired inwardly the patience of the girl who didn't stop for a single moment, leaving only with the coming of dusk. But on the fourth day of training she snapped.

"I can't stand it any longer!" the She-wolf exclaimed, jumping up. Natsu, who was finishing his breakfast, raised his eyebrow inquiringly. "All I do is sit and do nothing, and I don't feel anything at all! I thought you would teach me something really worthy. Summon fire or water, or… I don't know; tame the wind, but not sitting without anything to do for days!"

The hunter put his food aside and came up to the angry She-wolf.

"All mages start with the basics. You can't perform magic without knowing the most important – the nature of magic itself."

Lucy snorted irritatingly, frowning in a funny manner. She now resembled an angry puppy so much that it was hard for Natsu to hold back laughter.

"How will I know that you are not lying to me?"

Natsu didn't know how to reply. He couldn't tell her that she could trust him, because it wasn't true. He was a hunter. She was a werewolf. Sooner or later their paths will diverge, but now, remembering all she had done for him by this time, he realized that she had become not only a savior, but also…

"A friend," the hunter finished his thought aloud. Lucy jerked her head up in surprise, meeting the eyes of Natsu. He nodded confidently, holding his hand out toward the She-wolf. For the first time the fabric of the gloves fostered in Natsu illogical irritation. He wanted so much to feel the warmth of her hand. "You've become my friend and I would never go back on my word. If I said that I would teach you magic, I will do that."

Lucy looked into his eyes with distrust, as if trying to find a lie, hiding deep in the green iris. A hand, squeezed in return, told Natsu everything better than any words.

The She-wolf sat quietly by the stream, plunging into meditation again. But this time Natsu sat next to her.

* * *

Feelings come suddenly. There are no explanations to them. They just exist. Arising deep inside, they slowly absorb the life-giving force of small things: quiet talks by the fire casting curly shadows on relaxed faces, sounds of ringing laughter and shallow, practically imperceptible dimples on the cheeks. They blossom before your eyes, and one of these days you just understand that these feelings exist. They are here, under your heart, warming your soul with blooming buds of infatuation.

For Natsu it came as a surprise.

Confusing. Cutting the ground from under him. Frightening and the same time agitating.

"Oh my god, ha-ha, you, humans, dance like this?" holding her middle, the She-wolf asked through her laughter, looking at Natsu who was showing her folk dancing of Magnolia. Lively, energetic and full of ardor, like human souls.

Natsu frowned, sitting by the fire. The first stars had already appeared in the sky and it meant that Lucy would soon leave the grotto.

"Yes, we dance like this. And we are proud of it!" the guy blurted out. The pride for his nation was deeply injured.

Lucy raised her hands in a conciliatory gesture, still chuckling quietly.

"Ok-ok. I have nothing against it."

Dissatisfied with such capitulation, the hunter folded his arms, looking defiantly at the She-wolf.

"Well, so how do great and superb wolves dance? Doesn't the tail hinder coordination? Do you howl at the moon? Gnaw bones during entertainments? Let me guess, your folk dancing is called "Waving the tail"? Or "Let's go get a stick!"?

"Ha-ha, very funny. Your sense of humor is beyond all limits," Lucy got up from her place, smoothing the hem of her dress, and walked to a place where Natsu had danced a minute before. Her hands flung up gracefully. The She-wolf looked in the hunter's eyes. "Our folk dancing is called "Moon sonata", and I advise you to watch closely."

Lucy's movements were smooth, like water moving slowly. She was soundlessly gliding on the grass with the tips of her toes, giving herself to the dance completely, her hands created ornate patterns in the air. For a moment Natsu forgot how to breathe. Moonlight reflected in the plaited hair of the She-wolf. A few innocently white petals of daisies, caught by the wind, soared up, wrapping the figure of the dancer.

And just when the dark-green hem of her dress glided smoothly, exposing for a second her thin ankles, when Lucy arched her back, charmingly running her hand over the air, when the moonlight scintillated on her long eyelashes, realization struck Natsu.

Feelings come unexpectedly. They reach you slowly, creeping, imperceptibly, but when they reach you, they won't release you from their steel chains.

When Lucy drew herself up with a wide smile on her face, delightfully watching the hunter's reaction, Natsu realized that the chains had locked and there was no way back. The babbling of the stream resounded through the grotto; somewhere in the forest a lonely howl of a werewolf could be heard, but Natsu could only hear the uneven beat of his heart, trying to figure out what he should do next. The She-wolf smiled, biting her lips with excitement and crumpling the fabric of her dress in her hands.

"So, something like this…" she exhaled.

Natsu was looking at Lucy, feeling uncontrollable warmth for the girl, and realized that it wasn't the worst thing. Reciprocal warmth was splashing in the eyes of the She-wolf. And it hurt much more than the injuries done by furious Alfa. They couldn't be together. The moon, Mene or whoever it was didn't let them even touch each other. They were destined to stay silent, keeping this feeling deep in their hearts and never daring to say it aloud. Because it would hurt even more.

"You," Natsu said smiling, though his eyes were still hazed by the bitterness of realization, "were beautiful."

If she were a human, he would surely pick some daisies for her, plait them in her hair and let himself steal a kiss from her scarlet lips.

If he was a werewolf, he would come to the She-wolf's father and, bowing his head, ask for Lucy's hand. They would dance under the moonlight, lie on cool grass and count here, in the grotto, the stars that were seen in the dark firmament.

But there are no "ifs" in history.

He wasn't a werewolf. She wasn't a human.

The Wall between them was an impassable obstacle and Natsu made a decision. When the full moon came he would steal the She-wolf with a brand of the Full Moon and would leave these lands forever. Not to let these feelings become stronger.

That is why he felt better when three days before the full moon Lucy said:

"During the full moon I will be with the pack. It's our tradition," her voice was flat, as if she understood what Natsu was going to do. "We can't control ourselves on this night. That is why you had better take masking potion, so that none of the werewolves can track you. On usual days we don't often walk through the forest. But at the full moon someone can come across this place. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Natsu nodded, whispering inwardly that he wasn't going to stay here on the full moon night. Lucy smiled sadly, as if making up her mind to something. Natsu looked at the girl wonderingly when she handed him a small package.

"I… I wanted you to have something in memory of me," the She-wolf whispered. "I understand that sooner or later you will fully recover, and I will learn magic, and you will have to go back home. I'm not sure after that we will meet again, that's why I want you to have it," Natsu opened the present. In his hands was a white scarf with silver dragon scales. The scarf was warm and faintly smelled of medicinal herbs and flowers. It smelled of Lucy. "I knitted it by myself. I hope it will remind you of the time you spent here. Remember the babbling of the stream, crackling of a fire, night sky, well… and me."

Natsu squeezed the scaly scarf in his hands, feeling something break inside of him. And Lucy's look, so understanding, so sincere, filled with the same pain that he felt, told him a lot.

 _Keep it as a memory of me. We are not destined to be together, but I hope you will be able to find your happiness without me._

 _I won't._

 _I know. But just try and, please, don't say goodbye._

The hunter smiled, putting the scarf round his neck. Lucy's scent became stronger.

He met the eyes of the She-wolf, whispering in a low voice:

"Thank you."

Three days were left till the full moon. Each of them knew that their paths would diverge. Only their hearts didn't want to listen to reason, wishing to stop the time and leave the two lovers forever in the grotto with the quiet babbling of the stream and silver moonlight.

* * *

" _Werewolves were born from moonlight on the day of the Full Moon. They got out of a sacred lake and Earth became their home._

 _Moonlight gave them strength and speed. Mene, the Goddess of nocturnal luminary said that from now on the Moon Children will live in packs and there will be nothing more important than family ties in their lives. She divided the Moonlightborn into four packs and said:_

" _I name the first pack tanuki, and they will be skillful in various crafts. Their mastery will be the staff of legend."_

 _Let it be so. Then Mene waved her hand again._

" _I name the second pack kitsune, and they will be cunning and tasks masters. Nobody will be equal to them in this."_

 _Let it be so. Mene turned round, speaking again:_

" _I name the third pack anioto, and give them speed and strength. They will be skillful hunters and loyal guards, and the world will not know anyone stronger than them."_

 _Let it be so. Then Mene looked at the third pack and the smile touched her face._

" _I name the fourth pack lycanthrope, and give them wisdom and knowledge, and they will be the leaders of the other packs. From now on their word is law."_

 _Let it be so._

 _Since then werewolves have been divided into four packs and have lived in peace and harmony. Only when the Full Moon rises, werewolves lose their human nature, remembering again about their mother – Moonlight. Then their animal nature prevails over them."_

 **Tale about the origin of werewolves.**

* * *

Natsu tidied the grotto. He folded the blankets neatly, washed wooden tableware and eliminated completely the traces of his staying there. He took a masking potion with the coming of twilight when he heard the first warning howl from the other side of the settlement. The night was quiet. Even the wind, it seemed, didn't want to shatter the peace reigning here.

The hunter had almost fully recovered from his wounds. Strength filled his body again and magic tried to break free with a streaming current.

At the Full Moon werewolves became animals and, as any animal, they could be trapped. He only had to find the She-wolf and lure her to a quiet place to be able to cast a spell over her vocal chords and tie her up. The hunter perfectly understood that today a lot of people will try their luck in hunting the She-wolf. But he wasn't going to yield to them.

The settlement met him with silence. Natsu, creeping along, was hiding from werewolves who, hadn't transformed yet were occasionally passing by. The Moon hadn't gained enough power yet. It didn't suit the hunter. Only in wolf form he could recognize his target. Having decided to bide his time, he hid himself in a haystack, making a small hole in it to watch the main square.

He examined each house attentively. Werewolves preferred to be at home with their family during transformation. A squeak of an opening door resounded through the silence. Natsu exhaled in surprise, recognizing Lucy in the girl who came out. She lowered to the ground, sitting on the grass, and cast a motionless glance toward the forest.

Natsu wanted to leave his shelter. Wanted to say the words of farewell to her or just give a sign that he was there. He didn't know why. He just wanted to.

But he kept sitting motionlessly in his shelter, admiring the image of the girl, illuminated by the starlight, who was fingering the hem of a dark-green dress in a familiar movement.

Suddenly she seized the hem sharply. The knuckles of her fingers grew white with tension and Natsu understood that here it was, the Full Moon.

Lucy bent forward, tearing her own dress with the claws. Silver hair started to grow on her skin, and a loud howl escaped her throat. The She-wolf's face started to change, stretching, and hair started to cover it. A row of sharp teeth reflected the Moon and a golden strand of hair fell on the muzzle of the werewolf. Natsu froze in astonishment.

"No, no, no," he whispered, shaking his head. "It can't be true. Not her!"

The She-wolf reared up on her hind legs. Graceful, she was beautiful with power streaming in her animal body. Silver long hair like silk threads was adorning the body of the She-wolf. Huge brown eyes were directed toward the Moon and when she turned around Natsu could clearly see a scar shaped like the Full Moon.

It was her. The She-wolf. His Lucy.

Realization struck him with cold sweat. There certainly were dozens of hunters around here who were only waiting for the possibility to lure the She-wolf out of the settlement. This time was more convenient than ever, when she was alone, not yet recovered from the transformation and totally bewitched by the Moon. As if to confirm his thoughts, somewhere deep in the forest howling of a wolf resounded and a golden spot shone on the side of the She-wolf's body.

The bait, used by all the hunters.

Lucy turned toward the howling, moved her ears curiously and, sniffing, took off running toward the call. Natsu immediately got out from his shelter, dashing after the She-wolf. He couldn't let the hunters get her. He couldn't let them sell her, couldn't let them hurt her.

The She-wolf was moving fast and after a minute of running he had already lost sight of her. He had to move along the tracks she had left.

Five minutes later Natsu heard a remote roar and after a moment – sorrowful whining, and then the forest plunged into the silence. Natsu accelerated his pace, understanding that he was virtually late. The hunters had locked her up.

The first thing he saw was a big iron cage with a solid magic lock. The She-wolf was trying to break free, attacking the bars, but every time she only suffered a defeat. The wounds caused by her attempts skinned over at once.

"Oho-ho, look who's here," he heard a voice from the side.

Natsu turned round, recognizing the hunter from the North, Sting Eucliffe. He was wearing a black leather suit, holding a long sword in his hands, and a mocking smile played at his lips. At some distance from him about ten more hunters were standing, who were supporting the cage with their magic. Sting stuck his sword into the ground, leaning against it.

"It can't be! Really? Such a famous hunter…. And late? I understand your disappointment. One billion golden dragons don't lie around in the street. As I can see, you would need to change your clothes. You know, waistcoats are long out of fashion."

Natsu glanced anxiously toward the She-wolf. He wanted Lucy to feel him so much; he wanted her to be here. But he only saw the eyes of an animal who just wanted to break free.

"Set her free!" the hunter shouted.

Sting raised his brow, exchanging a surprised look with his companions.

"So that you can grab all the glory for yourself?" he grunted. "No way. Don't be a sore loser, Dragneel. This time the prey…"

Eucliffe had no chance to finish. Natsu attacked the relaxed hunter, slamming the fire fist into his belly. Sting doubled up, but then pulled himself together at once, blocking the next blow. He jumped back, looking at Natsu who squared up with a serious face. Fire covered his fists.

"Wanna fight for the prey?" Sting asked, drawing himself up and pulling the sword out of the ground. "Then let's fight."

It wasn't an equal fight and Natsu understood it. Eleven mages against only him, but he couldn't lie idle when Lucy was throwing herself at iron bars, beating her forehead against them till it bled.

He was parrying the hunters' strikes, striking back. His body still hadn't recovered enough after the last battle, and he was fighting with his last strength, using all the reserves of magic he had. One more wound appeared on his arm, his eye was bruised, and a bad burn could be seen through the torn pants.

The moon was shining brightly in the sky, when one of the hunters hit Natsu's legs with a magic whip, making him sag to the ground. The next moment his hands were handcuffed and he felt the cold of Sting's sword on his neck.

Natsu met the eyes of the She-wolf, who stopped her attempts to break free and for a split of a second it seemed to him that in the narrowed pupils of the animal, his Lucy was reflected. For this split second, seeing genuine fear in the eyes of the She-wolf and feeling the end approaching, Natsu realized that he could save her. Even if it was the last thing he could do.

" _The strongest weapon of anioto was their animal roar, shaking the ground._

 _The strongest weapon of lycanthropes was…"_

"HOWL, LUCY!" the hunter screamed at the top of his lungs.

The She-wolf winked silver tears away, as if throwing the hazy mist from her. She arched her back with the moonlight reflected in her hair. The next moment a loud, blood-curdling howl resounded through the forest like thunder. The sword dropped from Sting's hands. Hunters looked around, frightened. For a few seconds deathly silence settled in the forest. It seemed to Natsu that only his heartbeat could be heard.

For a moment a victorious smile played on the hunters' lips, till somewhere far off a reciprocal howl was heard. At first just one, then one more, and then the whole pack deafened the forest with a battle cry.

Natsu smiled, lowering his head. Werewolves won't find out who was on what side. They won't pass judgment. They will sweep the hunters off with one furious wave. Natsu was happy that the last thing he did in his life was saving Lucy.

Lycanthropes flocked to the She-wolf from different sides. Of different sizes and colors, with shining eyes and bared teeth they leaped into the fight. Two big Wolves (someone from the Council, it seemed) and Alfa smashed the cage into pieces, setting the She-wolf free. Lucy, who liberated herself from the effect of the Moon magic, rushed to Natsu immediately, who was already approached by a few lycanthropes. She bristled up, standing before them, and growled loudly at her fellows. Werewolves looked blankly at her, but decided not to touch what belonged to the She-wolf. Werewolves fought mages who were holding their ground in the battle with underlings.

Sounds of battle filled the forest.

Natsu raised his head, meeting the eyes of Lucy. He melted the handcuffs, freeing his hands, and smiled to the She-wolf who was watching Natsu's actions attentively.

For a second, when she was looking at Natsu's hands, not protected by gloves, some kind of illumination flashed in her look. She raised her muzzle, whining quietly, and looked at Natsu as if trying to deliver him some message. Only when she lowered her head, exposing her soft hair to him, he understood what the She-wolf wanted from him.

Sounds of the battle passed into the background. It seemed that someone had locked them in a vacuum where there were only two of them. Only Lucy, lowering her head, and Natsu, reaching his hand to touch the hair of the She-wolf.

Just for a second he hesitated, but the next moment he drove all the doubts away, plunging his hand into the soft hair and felt the heat of Lucy's body.

" _Only when the Moon Child is able to touch the Fire Child, without experiencing the torments of hell, the wall will fall and I will destroy my curse."_

Sounds deafened both of them again. Lucy raised her head and a golden light encircled her. When it dispersed, the She-wolf took her human form. Natsu smiled, taking off his waistcoat and throwing it over the girl's naked body.

There was a deafening crash. Everyone, both werewolves and humans, turned their eyes toward the noise.

A beautiful sight stood before them.

The tall Wall of the Goddess Mene started to crumble into millions of golden grits that soared to the sky. Werewolves felt themselves returning to human form and they looked around blankly, not understanding what was going on.

Only the Moon Child and Fire Child didn't watch the wall collapsing. They saw only each other, enjoying the possibility to touch one another. Skin to skin. Soul to soul.

* * *

" _The day when the Moon Child and the Fire Child met went down in history. Peace and prosperity came to the Earth. The legends and tales about them are still being composed. No one remembers the times when werewolves and humans were separated by the Wall of the Goddess Mene and no one can tell for sure if it even existed or not._

 _Only the legends remained._

" _Once upon a time, when werewolves and humans were separated by a huge Wall, the Moon Child and the Fire Child met…"_

*Lycanthropes – wolf werewolves

**Kitsune – fox werewolves

***Tanuki – raccoon dog werewolves

****Anioto – leopard werewolves


	4. Mirrors

_**A/N:**_ _Oh, this day has come. All this hard work at translation (thanks to my good friend and wonderful translator!) was directed at this moment – for Mirrors to be translated. There was a time when thinking about Obstacles being translated was just a fantasy for me. After one more wonderful friend of mine – LeonS – had drawn a cycle of illustrations for Fireflies, a lot of people asked me for its translation (someone even tried to use Google translator, and realizing it is still the funniest and most shocking thing in all my writing experience :D), but I have never thought that it will become reality. But here we are. Mirrors which exactly a year ago I dedicated to Tanya's birthday is translated. And it is translated mainly thanks to you, the people who kept asking me for its translation._

 _I want to thank everyone who has been with us during this year. Thanks to Mary for responding once to my request thrown into a crowd. Thanks to her uncle and aunt for editing this translation, and thanks to everyone who has read these three stories connected with one common thought: any obstacles can be surmounted if they only exist in our heads!_

 _Enjoy reading ~_

" **Mirrors"**

 **September 13, 1802.**

The creak of the wheels was hardly heard because of the rain drops rattling against the carriage glass. It smelled pleasantly of the wet ground, fresh leaves and rain. The weather usual for this place didn't cause any discomfort, so the locals, accustomed to the cool fog and midday rain, only smiled at the gray sky and occasional sunbeams.

The carriage was moving along the highway laid long ago from London, right through Bristol and Plymouth to the southern county of Cornwall. From time to time the wheels fell into small potholes and the neigh of three wonderful black stallions could be heard, assigned by the Lord Heartfilia especially for this trip. Lucy smiled, looking at the thick vegetation of the Cornwall forest, deeply inhaling its fresh scent.

Lady Heartfilia was excited about this trip. For eighteen years of her life she had never gone so far from home and was glad that her father yielded to her persuasions and let her visit her dear grandmother at the estate of Lucense Core, spreading out among the greenery and magic of the legends of Cornwall.

Lucy had been in love with the mysterious magic of this place as long as she could remember. In the quiet evenings, whiling away the time in front of the crackling fireplace and inhaling the scent of rose hip and rosemary, Lucy would sit at her mother's feet and float on the waves of her soothing voice, telling her the legends of King Arthur; of silvery rivers and sparkling lakes; of thick greenery and untouched nature; of a little fairytale created by their ancestors. Every time Lucy imagined a blurry picture in her head. In her fantasies colors were not important, but rather feelings and emotions; the aura of ancient magic and sorcery, into which her young heart wished to plunge.

Maybe that is why the human world wasn't so close to her. Lucy could sit for hours in front of the huge mirror in the gilded carved frame in her chamber, admiringly and absorbing the images of the stately creatures breathing fire.

"Milady," Macao said through the latticed window, "we are getting near!"

Lucy came back from her daydreams, smiling at the coachman. She was fairly exhausted from the long trip. They had left the capital two days before, stopping only a few times for food and rest. During this time Lucy had a lot of chances to admire the beauty and wealth of her kingdom. Coniferous forests and centuries-old oaks were rising far into the sky. Flowers so amazing and striking her imagination that for a moment Lucy thought she could stay one on one with nature forever. There were crystal clear brooks and forest inhabitants there that the girl saw for the first time. All these things struck the imagination of the girl from the capital.

"Milady, what a beautiful place this is!" Lucy's companion exclaimed. Levy's face was shining with genuine delight and now she was looking as young as ever before.

Miss McGarden was a loyal friend of Lucy's since childhood. They grew up together and together they lived through the hardest moments in each other's lives. For Lucy there was no one closer than Levy.

She was a girl of almost eighteen. Tiny, with small hands, wrapped in dark gloves, and her eyes were sparkling with kindness. Her roundish face was framed with light blue curly locks, escaping from under her bonnet and her fragile-looking figure seemed weightless in a dark muslin dress. Levy was clutching a beaded handbag, in which, as Lucy knew, together with a linen handkerchief and a few coins was a silver watch with a picture of her family, given to her by her father.

It was a "thick rope" connecting her with her family, regardless of what part of the world she was in.

"I agree with you. These places are marvelous," Lucy smiled, looking at the scenery rolling by behind the window of the carriage.

"When was the last time you saw your grandmother?"

Lucy nodded, feeling a familiar heaviness in her chest.

"At mom's funeral."

Levy looked at her understandingly and a moment later she covered Lucy's hand with hers. Calmness so familiar spread through Lucy's veins, that only appeared when Lucy was with her friend.

"I am sure that here you will be close to your mother as nowhere else," the girl smiled encouragingly. "For here she was born and brought up. Certainly this place is saturated with her spirit. I believe that Cornwall will give you peace."

"Thank you, Levy, but I wanted to come here not because of the memories of my mom, but because of the silence and seclusion that noisy London is just incapable to provide."

The girl took her hand away and a wide smile spread across her blushing face.

"All the ladies are so typical. They dream about balls, expensive dresses and rare jewelry and also about the queue of suitors. And you, as long as I could remember, only wished for the calmness of the library, a good book and the company of the dragons beyond the mirrors."

"A good book is sometimes better entertainment than all the balls of the world. And dragons… Dragons are the direct evidence of the existence of magic. Isn't it fascinating, Levy?"

"I don't know, Milady. I try not to talk to these creatures," the girl said thoughtfully. "They seem frightening to me."

Lucy smiled leniently.

"Oh Levy, Levy. Dragons are no different from people in terms of life and communication. All your fears are just in your head and, believe me, they have nothing to do with reality. Even our forefathers lived in harmony with them. So why are you, their granddaughter, so scared of them, as if medieval people were scared of red headed women?"

"Milady, don't misunderstand me," Levy said quietly. "I am not afraid of them. They seem frightening to me, but no, I'm not afraid. What do I have to be afraid of? They are just reflections in the mirrors and can't get to our world by any means. I'm not driven by the fear, but by the unwillingness to accept creatures that breathe fire. Since early childhood when you talked spellbound to a pair of elderly dragons in the mirror in the purple hall of your estate, I didn't understand your admiration, just like you don't understand my fears. It's just the confrontation of the views, milady. It is normal."

"Alright," Lucy gave up with a smile, "I agree. I don't have any right to tell you what point of view to stick to. Still we live in a progressive society."

Since their discussion came to its logical conclusion, the cabin of the carriage was plunged into a comfortable silence.

In fact, the subject of their discussion was typical not only in this dark carriage, heading toward Cornwall. Its roots went down deep into the past, back to the times when in the thirteenth century people thought of covering a glass with a thin layer of tin and the first mirrors in history appeared in this world. It was really a great discovery that caused a commotion. But how much surprised people were (according to the sources that remained from that time), when in the mirror's surface, apart from the image of John Peckham, appeared a reflection of a creature, completely unknown to him. It looked like a human. Tall, stately, with two arms and two legs, and also long silver hair. But it wasn't a human. Behind his stately figure two muscular wings and a long scaly tail could be seen, and pointed black horns peeked out of his silvery hair. The mirror was broken at once, and a local priest was long exorcising the devil out of the splinters.

Of course, curiosity overpowered fear, and soon one more mirror appeared, in which a mysterious creature with the peculiar silvery hair was reflected again. The creature introduced himself with a friendly smile and called himself a dragon.

Since that time, since the appearance of mirrors in people's life, the existence of a parallel world, inhabited by magical creatures, became usual and an ordinary thing. Seeing a different room in the reflection of the mirror with different furniture and with Porlysica reading a book and an old man Makarov dozing and muttering something in his sleep, sitting in their chairs with interlaced tails, was a usual thing for Lucy. Since early childhood she was amazed with this different world, with the creatures inhabiting it and with its fairy-like atmosphere. It seemed that beyond the mirrors there was a world from magical stories, into which sometimes she so much wanted to plunge. And this world beckoned as nothing else. Neither balls, nor silk dresses, nor sincere compliments from gentlemen… Nothing could make the young girl's heart beat so much, only the world living in the reflection of the mirror.

Finally, the crunch of the gravel was heard from under the wheels. The forest scenery behind the window was changed to endless fields, covered with lush green grass. A hazy mist was spreading across the fields, wrapping the outline of the Lucense Core estate like a velvet blanket. The rain turned into a drizzle.

Lucy held her breath in amazement. She had only seen this in pictures, hanging in the chambers of her mother, but no oil paintings could convey its true splendor. A three-stored estate was towering like an elegant statue among the greenery of the surrounding park. The entire perimeter was enclosed by a wrought-iron fence. Their carriage was about to approach the elegant gate, which opened right after Macao had announced the purpose of their visit.

Magnificent maple trees grew before the main entrance, resembling guards. Large peonies grew around them, attracting ones eye with their bright colors. The carriage rounded a small pond, in which ducks swam and water lilies floated. The smell of fresh pastry could be felt in the air and Lucy thought involuntarily that she had had her breakfast early that morning, while now it was far past midday.

Lucy could hear the excited comments of Romeo, the son of the coachman, and the quiet responses of his father. It seemed that no one stayed indifferent to the splendor of the estate.

The carriage stopped in front of the main entrance. Before entering, Lucy straightened the sleeves of her spencer and the edges of her travelling muslin dress. Levy nodded encouragingly and the girl inhaled deeply before the door opened and Macao, offering his hand gallantly, helped her to step out of the carriage onto the straight path.

Lucy noticed that the estate, in spite of the expected silence, was submerged in a cacophony of sounds. Not loud and pressing, proper to the streets of London, but soft and peaceful. Sounds of owls hooting and soft leaves rustling, streams babbling and ducks quacking occasionally, light gusts of the wind and soft music coming from somewhere deep in the house. At this moment she felt that she had come home.

"Lucy! My dear!" a loud exclamation came from the open main door. The next moment she experienced the smell of rose hip and rosemary and a tight hug almost knocked the wind out of her.

"Granny!"

The woman moved away, without stopping to squeeze tightly the hands of her granddaughter in hers. Her sparkling tenacious look measured her from head to foot.

Lady Serdabolia was a tall stately woman of fifty years old with fair hair done up in a twist, in which the silver locks of approaching old age could already be seen. Despite the reigning fashion, the elderly woman kept to an old-fashion style, which she proudly called classic. A dark blue close-fitting dress of heavy fabric was perfectly matched for her pale skin and gave some nobility to her image. Against her, Lucy, in a muslin chemise seemed like a simpleton to herself, although she followed strictly the fashion of France.

Annabeth smiled, running her hand over her granddaughter's cheek. There was too much in this gesture for Lucy to be able to hold back tears filling her eyes.

"My baby has grown so much," Lady Serdabolia whispered in a soft voice and pulled her granddaughter to her chest again.

The scent, familiar from childhood, carefully wrapped Lucy like a blanket, and unwittingly she remembered quiet evenings and her mother's voice. Levy was right. All the estate was wrapped in rosemary and rose hip and the invisible presence of Layla Heartfilia seemed to be felt in every corner.

Following the lady of the house out, two footmen helped Macao and Romeo to get the girls' luggage off the carriage and bring it in the house. Smiling, Annabeth grasped her granddaughter by the hand and led her inside, saying something about a wonderful lunch and "a marvelous tea, brought to me by General Jefferson from India". Lucy pulled the bonnet off her head, releasing her fair hair from its hot captivity, and let her granny pull her into the cool hall of the estate.

The interior decorations were rich, not abounding in tasteless and excessive luxury. In every pattern on the walls and in every graceful curve of the marble banisters was nobility and restraint, verging on airy grace and beauty. Lucense Core was a young maiden, wrapped in the garments of light gauze and silk. The estate was breathing with life.

Having assured her granny that she would come down as soon as possible, Lucy together with Levy followed an old housekeeper with a shock of gray hair. The woman accompanied them to the third floor, pointing at two neighboring doors, and Lucy nodded to Levy, entering her room. Two travelling bags and one big trunk were already here. As her grandmother hadn't assigned personal servants for her yet, Lucy decided not to change. Taking off the black spencer, which looked like an officer's uniform (she had a black one for traveling and a red one for walking) and throwing a warm shawl over her naked shoulders, she decided not to amend her appearance in any other way.

When the girl was about ready to join everyone for lunch, her look ran over the mirror standing in the room. Because of being in a hurry Lucy didn't have time to examine the room properly and now she stopped abruptly, not bringing one foot to the floor. Her look was attracted by the rectangular mirror in a graceful white frame in the style of rococo, in which a big empty hall was reflected. Inhaling, Lucy didn't even notice that she was holding her breath; she slowly came closer trying to absorb more details of the unknown place as possible.

Judging by the high stone walls and arched windows, rising somewhere high above (the mirror didn't give the full vision, so Lucy could only guess how high the walls were), she came to the conclusion that it was a palace room and this sudden discovery made her heart beat faster. Mirrors were connected to the places where they were situated. If this mirror reflected the hall of the dragon palace, it meant only one thing: somewhere in a parallel world, at this very place where the Lucense Core estate was, there was a dragon palace. The possibility to see such a rarity was like a gem for Lucy, not comparable to any wealth of the world.

She noticed bright sunbeams penetrating into the windows, softly illuminating the black tapestry, on which the coat of arms of the kingdom was embroidered with turquoise threads – a three headed dragon with spread wings, breathing fire. The dragon was twined round by two snakes and on every head of the dragon there was a crown. Lucy knew this coat of arms. Since early childhood their teachers allotted a few months for the history of the dragon world. These lessons were the most favorite for young Lucy and she gladly listened to the history of the two palace coups in the kingdom of Fiore, during which two ruling dynasties had changed each other. Now, for fifteen years, wise Acnologia had been sitting on the dragon throne. He had become a king as a result of the long and bloody war.

The emerald dragon on a black background was his coat of arms. The coat of arms of a dragon king.

Lucy quivered in agitation from this sudden recognition. Heading here she couldn't even think that the mirrors in her mother's house reflected the halls of the dragon palace. The swirl of thoughts made her dizzy. It meant that now she could see with her own eyes all the festivities of the dragons, the life of their high society and plunge even deeper in the fairytale world of these creatures. The palace was its heart. And now she was in its epicenter.

"Milady, Lady Annabeth is asking if you need any help?" the housekeeper's voice was heard beyond the door.

Lucy shuddered, having forgotten that everyone was waiting for her.

"No-no, I'm coming!" the girl exclaimed. Clenching the edge of her shawl, she looked in the mirror one more time, sighed and rushed to the door.

The dining table had already been laid for three persons. Lady Serdabolia was sitting at the head of the table with Levy settled on her left. Unlike Lucy, Levy had taken time to change her outfit and now she was wearing a light blue dress and her curly blue locks were put up in a simple and unpretentious hairstyle.

Lady Annabeth raised her head, smiled to her granddaughter and pointed with her hand at the chair next to her.

"My little bird, what took you so long? Your friend changed her outfit and refreshed herself. You, as I can see, just threw a shawl over your shoulders, and she even came earlier."

Lucy smiled sheepishly, not knowing how to explain the reason of her delay, but her grandmother didn't seem to be waiting for an answer. Slowly taking Lucy's hand in hers and Levy's hand in the other, she closed her eyes and the girls followed her example. After a small prayer they finally started their meal.

"Granny," Lucy said after Lady Serdabolia's interesting story about her last year's trip to North America and acquaintance with the local culture and people, "why hadn't anybody told me up to now that the mirrors of the estate look into dragon palace? I think it's incredible and I'm struck that neither my mother nor you told me about such a miracle."

Lady Annabeth's face changed at once and a friendly smile was replaced by the lowered corners of her mouth. Her whole figure was expressing tension.

"We are not proud that the mirrors of our estate reflect the royal halls of the dragon palace," she snapped.

Lucy was perplexed by this tone. As long as she could remember, both her mom and granny had had a friendly attitude toward dragons. Her grandmother had long heart-to-heart talks with Porlysica, sitting by the fire place in the purple hall of their estate in London. The girl heard her more than once speaking well of all the dragons she knew. Such hostility toward the mirrors in her own home reflecting the halls of the dragon's palace struck Lucy with surprise.

"But why?"

"Because," Annabeth slowly looked into her granddaughter's eyes, "in the halls of that palace rot and blackness has reigned for a long time. And however much you want it, Lucy, I forbid you to talk to the dragons beyond the mirrors. Not in this house and not to those dragons."

"Granny…"

"I forbid you," her firm tone indicated that it was useless to wait for some other reply.

Lucy nodded obediently, while chaos was reigning in her head. What was the explanation to this flat prohibition? And what secrets could be hiding behind the stone arches reflected in the mirrors?

No one said anything more.

* * *

 **September 27. 1802**

Two weeks had passed since their arrival to Lucense Core.

The estate turned out to be truly amazing and Lucy needed all her time to explore at least one third of its mysteries. She preferred not to have her breakfast, but asked for food to be packed to take with her horseback riding, accompanied by Levy and the snow-white stallion Plue, who tactfully obeyed every movement of the rider. During these rides they rode to the forest, bordering on the estate. The places here seemed to have descended from the pages of legends and Lucy was enchanted by Cornwall; by the thick fog, cloudy sky and coniferous forests; by the glib brooks, the smell of the damp ground and wild nature.

During these rides Lucy was falling in love with the county over and over.

However much she travelled among the Cornwall forests, the secrets inside the house worried her. The interest, stirred up by Lady Annabeth's prohibition, was burning bright and didn't want to go out. Every night she stealthily looked at the hall of the palace trying to understand what could cause such a reaction of her granny. Not in any mirror of the house she could find the answer.

The dragon palace was huge, with long corridors and big halls, striking in their rich decorations. In some mirrors nothing reflected; they were covered from beyond to avoid prying eyes. Lucy came to the conclusion that these mirrors reflected someone's chamber.

Sometimes she saw dragons walking in a dignified way talking to one another in low voices. The nobles of the king walked with a proud bearing and never looked toward the mirrors, understanding clearly that they were being watched. And though the girl was used to the friendliness of the dragons, she didn't see anything bad in that the bearers of the royal blood and high ranks kept the cold attitude toward people unknown to them.

At last Lucy drew a conclusion that her granny had been offended by such silence and nursed a grievance against them. Lucy didn't want to take offence at such a small thing. On the contrary, with even more ardor she watched their graceful curtseys, wings folded behind their backs and their lithe scaly tails.

For the short time they stayed at the estate, the guests had time to get to know more closely the servants living here. Lucy believed good relations with the service staff was equivalent to a good rest.

For example:

Be it wise advice filled with experience of the stableman Elfman Straus – a tall and muscular guy with wide shoulders and strong arms. He smiled widely and despite his intimidating look, he seemedto be a merry and forgiving guy who on the very first day, having received a compliment about the emerald scarf on his neck, advised her to saddle Plue. As it turned out, the scarf was a present from a milliner who sewed hats for Lady Annabeth. Lisanna – younger sister of Elfman and a cook – told Lucy confidentially that her brother was in love with this "woman with a temper" and judging by the expensive emerald silk on the man's neck this feeling was mutual.

Or an additional portion of strawberry soufflé from the chef. Mirajane together with her family came from France, where she was a recognized chef in spite of her gender. Behind a lovely smile, a steel character was hidden and Lucy didn't even dare to try to say something about her social status. The woman inspired respect and, looking at her example, Lady Heartfilia thought for a moment that this fragile woman will become one more step toward sexual equality.

And there was also Freed, walking sedately in a frock-coat perfectly fitting him, strictly giving orders, and then in the quiet evenings he entertained the ladies with beautiful poems. His voice was soft and smooth and at such moments Lucy imagined Mr. Justin somewhere surrounded by the royal court, reciting his own verses and poems to Her Majesty.

And though Lucense Core was far from the city, in silence and peace, surrounded by the untouched nature and floating fog, the estate itself was teeming with life. Loud laughter of the servants in the morning could be heard (Wendy and Sherria liked to dawdle and that is why they often got reprimanded by the butler), or quiet sounds of Lisanna playing, whom Lady Annabeth had started to teach piano lessons.

Sometimes it seemed to Lucy that there was more life, animated and charming, in this house than in any London estate with prim high teas and balls. And the desire to stay here as long as possible was growing day by day.

"Milady, careful!"

A loud voice made Lucy start, causing her to jump back a bit. A dark whirlwind swept past her. It turned out to be Wendy as she looked closer. She was clutching a huge pile of linen, her hair was disheveled, and her look – gloomy and concentrated.

"Excuse me, Wendy, but what is causing you to run around like a chicken with its head cut off?" Lucy asked with a smile, coming closer to the girl who was looking for something on the floor.

Wendy shifted her gaze to Lucy and flushed at once, her look stopped being frightened, rather, embarrassed and displeased.

"I'm sorry, Milady. I… I saw a mouse… And I didn't even think… Haven't… Have I knocked you down? Stupid, stupid Wendy!"

Lucy laughed because the girl looked so comical.

"My dear, it's alright! You haven't even touched me!" she reassured her.

"I'm sorry, really. I have been snowed under with work! Mira has sent me to the attic to get old cutlery and ordered me to clean it. And then the linen… And this mouse… And Sherria has run away somewhere!.."

"Ok, calm down!" Lucy smiled and soothingly tousled the girl's hair. "You will deal with the linen now and I will go to the attic and take Mira the cutlery, ok?"

Wendy stared back, frightened.

"No way, milady! You oughtn't to do the servant's business. I will do it all by myself!"

Lucy hemmed, resolutely raising her head, and said,

"Well, it's an order. Go change the linen. And I will accidently come across the attic and accidently find the silver cutlery. Accidentally as well I will take it to Mira, wishing to show her such an amazing beauty. And then you decide what to do with it."

"Milady…" Wendy whispered reverently, while Lucy resolutely went past her, heading towards the stairs.

The attic, despite the girl's apprehension, wasn't neglected and Lucy who was worried so much because of her white dress, sighed with relief. There were a few attics in the estate and silver cutlery was in the biggest one. The room was tidy, but there were so many things that it gave the impression of being slightly messy.

Lucy, led by curiosity, decided to look around.

There were old chests of drawers there covered with gray blankets. Piles of books and sheets of parchment rested on top of them. There were also sculptures and old musical instruments. Lucy lightly ran the tips of her fingers over the refined frets of a violin lying on a high carved chair. The ceilings were low and Lucy had to stoop a bit not to bump her head against the rafters. The light penetrated through a small roundish window and the parade of specks of dust was waltzing in a narrow strip of light. The boards creaked under her feet. The girl walked a bit forward, rounding a massive oak cupboard and suddenly froze for some reason, surprised by how fast her heart started beating.

There was nothing interesting behind the cupboard. By the window there was a small soft ottoman trimmed with golden ornaments and tassels dangling at its sides. There was a dark Persian carpet on the floor and in the corner on a bedside table there was a countless amount of trinkets, mostly clocks and watches of different sizes and designs that were ticking discordantly. Beads, dream catchers and colorful threads dangled from the ceiling. Multitudes of candlesticks were placed on the floor, near the ottoman, on the cupboard and near something covered with a thick red canopy.

Lucy came up to it slowly. Before touching the canopy somewhere at the edge of her conscious she thought that it was no accident that it was hidden from prying eyes, but she couldn't help it and the heavy velvet fell to the floor in waves.

It was a mirror.

Floor to ceiling, enclosed in a frame of amazing beauty. The girl's eyes glided over the smooth lines, carved nightingales and clusters of grapes; over the thin tendrils and lilies of the valley and buds of roses. Every detail struck her imagination and Lucy was enchanted by this work of art. In the corner of the mirror there was a small crack. At its very top a golden dragon was resting. Unlike those she was used to seeing, this small golden dragon curled up like a small kitten, covering himself with his wings. The mirror was radiating pleasant warmth and her heart started to beat even faster when Lucy finally decided to look at the reflection.

The first thing that caught her eye was a large meaty tail, lying practically next to the mirror. Penetrating through a small vaulted window that looked out on to a blue cloudless sky and sharp spires of the palace, the bright midday sun was reflected in the red scales. There were also some metallic bars reflecting in the window, but she decided that it was just an optical illusion.

The girl held her breath, enchanted, slowly turning her eyes to the long tail again. A huge scarlet dragon was lying on velvet pillows, covering himself like the dragon on the mirror frame with broad wings and was breathing evenly. The muzzle of the dragon was resting on his claws. Scales were thick and seemed to be made of steel. With every inhalation the cracks between them became lighter, like red-hot lava, but soon they died out, with the exhalation.

Lucy sat down on the soft ottoman, absorbing the image of the transformed dragon with the curiosity of a true fanatic. It was a big rarity to see a dragon in his true form and up to now Lucy hadn't had a chance to catch such a sight. Only in the pictures in textbooks. But no picture could reproduce all the power and splendor of these creatures.

This dragon had curved black horns with red rings on them; he had a large muscular body that was the picture of strength and grace; huge wings and, what made Lucy smile, thick pink hair, falling on his muzzle and spreading over his body.

The dragon was sleeping soundly.

Against the stone walls stood high bookcases stuffed with thick folios. On the floor sheets of parchment were scattered (on one of them the girl saw a bit of a clumsy drawing of some creature with wings. It looked like a cat) and different colored silk fabrics. It seemed that the silk was everywhere, dangling from the ledge of the window, spreading on the floor and covering parts of the dragon. On the silk surface there were gilt dishes with unfinished meat and fruit.

From the decoration of the room Lucy drew a conclusion that this was the room of a noble dragon and the spires of the palace, seen from the window, suggested the idea of the royal family.

Lucy shifted her gaze back to the dragon and froze.

A piercing amber eye was looking at her.

Lucy gulped.

The dragon blinked and the next moment he spread his wings, rising to his paws heavily. Pink hair fell, reflecting the bright sunbeams. The slits between the scales glowed like red-hot lava.

The heart in the girl's chest started to beat at the end of its tether. She didn't know what to expect, but she couldn't look away either. The dragon bewitched her with his beauty and power. It seemed to Lucy that it would be an unforgivable mistake to run away when before her stood a creature that she had admired since early childhood.

Meanwhile the dragon turned his muzzle toward her and for a moment it seemed to her that a grin was reflected in his amber eyes. He hit his paw against the floor heavily, letting his sharp claws out, and ran them over the silk surface. Smoke trickled out of his nostrils. The light wrapped the dragon's body and Lucy froze, for the first time in her life watching the process of a dragon's transformation. Slowly the body was getting smaller, the paws lessened in size and the scales sagged inward. The muzzle smoothed, the eyes grew slightly bigger and the amber in them was replaced by a lush green.

At some moment there was no dragon before her. There was a young man, looking into her eyes with curiosity.

This young man had big eyes of an amazingly beautiful color of the forest greenery; he had pink disheveled hair that became shorter after the transformation; big purple wings, pointed ears and a few scales on his elbows. Besides, the young man was completely naked and was covering himself only with the silk from the floor. Lucy turned extremely red, turning her back at once.

Her heart was thumping in her chest. Shame enveloped the girl from her head downwards; her cheeks were burning from such an intrusion into somebody else's life! Seeing a naked man! Good God, what would her late mother say! And how would she look into her grandmother's eyes now? And into her father's?

Good God.

"Hey, you can turn around. I have dressed already," a voice from the mirror sounded.

Lucy squeezed the muslin fabric of her dress tightly, afraid even to move. How could she turn around? It is… It is a shame! Surely, the dragon now considered her lecherous and light-headed! Oh…

"Why did you freeze?" the dragon said again. His voice sounded like annoyed muttering and Lucy, led by curiosity, squeezing the fabric of her dress even tighter, turned her head slowly and carefully.

Indeed, the dragon was dressed. He was wearing a short dark jacket trimmed with silver embroidery and loose white pants. All the dragon's garments looked like the clothes of the Arabian princes who she had seen in the paintings brought by the travelers she had known. But even this look of the dragon seemed improper to the girl and scarlet flushed her cheeks with new color.

The dragon stretched himself lazily on the pillows, eating fruits unknown to Lucy. They looked like grapes but weren't. The dragon didn't seem indignant and undisguised curiosity reflected in his eyes.

"I'm truly sorry, I really didn't mean to…" the girl whispered, turning her face to the mirror completely.

The dragon raised his brows quizzically.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"But… I disturbed your sleep and then I didn't turn away when you… you transformed."

The young man didn't seem to understand anything.

"So what is the big deal?"

Lucy fell silent for a moment, bewildered by the question. The dragon really didn't look disturbed by such an intrusion into his private life.

"But I…" Lucy's voice quivered before she firmly fixed her gaze on the young man's eyes. "I saw you naked. Aren't you offended?"

The girl's explanation seemed to make the dragon laugh. A sincere laughter escaped his lips that didn't offend Lucy at all. Rather, it soothed her, although she didn't quite understand its reason.

Finally, the dragon became silent. His eyes glinted with mischief, when he said with a soft grin,

"Did I offend you with my look, milady?"

Lucy, surprised by the question, still shook her head.

"You didn't like what you saw?"

The girl flushed again, but the dragon didn't even seem to wait for an answer.

"I saw you and knew what I was doing. My transformation was purely my personal affair. It's not your fault at all," he said light-heartedly, rotating a small turquoise "not a grape" with the tips of his steel claws.

"Still I would like you to accept my apologies."

"Well, if it will make you feel better…" the dragon smiled widely. "I accept it."

The silence stretched out.

Lucy, whose curiosity overpowered shame, started to examine the dragon attentively, while the young man, making himself comfortable on one of his wings, continued his meal.

A host of thoughts crowded in her head. Why was this mirror hidden from prying eyes? Who was this dragon and why did it seem to her that she was missing something?

"I'm sorry," the girl whispered after sometime. The dragon was eating the leftover meat, letting a small trickle of fire out of his mouth, heating it. "But why did you call me 'milady'? I didn't have chance to introduce myself."

The dragon grinned again, turning his eyes to her.

"You are Layla's daughter, aren't you?"

"Did you know my mother?" Lucy asked, surprised.

The dragon nodded quietly, turning his attention back to a slightly heated piece of meat.

"Yes, I did. And Annabeth, when she, as a young girl came to this estate for the first time. Women in your family are very much alike. You are a spitting image of your mother."

At these words he gave a light smile.

Lucy opened her mouth, confused. The dragon looked young. His words about her grandmother's youth didn't match at all with his youthful smile.

"How is it possible?" she asked finally. "My grandmother is more than fifty years old and you…"

"I am fifty four," the dragon finished for her. "Time flows differently in our world, milady. And we perceive it differently. The life of the dragon is very long. For us fifty years is an instant, while for you it's a whole lifetime". It seemed to Lucy that sadness echoed in his voice. "I knew Annabeth, and Layla as a young creature who wanted to play hide-and-seek. I saw her growing up fast, while I was still a child. By the measures of humans I am fifty four. By the measures of dragons I have barely turned twenty."

Lucy reproached herself in her thoughts. She knew about this peculiarity of their worlds, but the sudden acquaintance with this dragon knocked the ground out from under her feet.

"By the way," the dragon smiled widely, slowly getting up from his place and coming up close to the mirror. For a moment it seemed to Lucy that there was no mirror at all, it was so big. "My name is Natsu. Nice to meet you, milady."

With surprise Lucy realized that they still hadn't introduced themselves to each other, and her cheeks blushed again. Getting up from the ottoman, the girl made a light courtesy, raising her head.

"My name is Lucy Heartfilia. I am a daughter of Count Heartfilia and his late wife Layla."

Natsu made a light gesture with his lithe tail, which meant greeting among dragons, and Lucy sat on her ottoman again. The young man dropped heavily to the floor, crossing his legs. Now, with their eyes practically on the same level, the mirror seemed to have disappeared. This dragon seemed so close and real.

"It's been a long time since I've seen these walls," Natsu whispered, examining the attic with an attentive look. "A lot has changed here."

"I am surprised that this mirror was covered. My grandmother has never closed the contact between the worlds without necessity."

The dragon smiled ingratiatingly.

"Annabeth covered the mirror on the royal edict of Acnologia. So in fact you are breaking the law now."

"What?" the girl asked, bewildered.

"Well, twenty years ago Acnologia decided that my punishment wasn't cruel enough and required the mirror which was connected to mine to be covered. Your monarch complied with his request and Annabeth couldn't do anything."

"You are a prisoner of the king?" she asked. "Are you a criminal?" Lucy's eyes glided over the spreading silks and golden dishes, over the bookcases and the view of the palace from the window. "But you are not in prison, but in a rich chamber… What have you done?"

Her eyes were directed to Natsu again, on whose lips a sad smile settled.

"My crime was to be born."

Lucy fell silent. She examined his chamber once again: stone walls, a small portrait on the wall hidden behind the red tapestry, powerful wings of a deep purple shade, a lonely tower and the cage surrounding it (the metal bars weren't a work of her imagination), and realization struck Lucy at that very moment.

"You…" she looked incredulously at the suddenly serious face of the dragon. "You are Dragneel!"

In the green eyes she saw an answer to her question.

The sudden realization seemed incredible. So incredible that for a moment it seemed to her that it was her dream.

Lucy started to finger the muslin fabric frenetically, trying to repress the feelings she experienced at this moment. Since early childhood they had been told that no Dragneel had survived the war. Since early childhood when they were told about the great war between the Scarlet and the Emerald, between the ruling dynasty of Dragneel and the rebelling representatives of the House of Acnologia, they were told that after the defeat all the bearers of the blood of Dragneel were executed in public on the main square as a sign of purification of the kingdom from the old governors and the ascent of a new king to the throne.

The thought that before her was sitting the only living representative of the Scarlet House of Dragneel, made Lucy's heart beat like mad.

She was a fanatic who had found her sorcerer's stone.

"But why did Acnologia leave you alive?" Lucy asked her question, looking in a new way at her new acquaintance.

"He called me his trophy," he replied. "I am living evidence of his victory. He didn't give me more explanations."

"This is amazing," Lucy whispered.

"Amazing?"

The girl smiled.

"For my whole life I've been admiring your world, secretly dreaming of finding myself in it. And I… I excitedly read the story of the war of the Scarlet and the Emerald. Always, despite Dragneel being depicted as tyrants and satraps in our textbooks… I was always illogically on the side of the Igneel the Scarlet. And now a living Dragneel is sitting before me. It is as if I fell asleep and found myself in a place where all the dreams have come true."

"We did not read this history from the books, milady," the dragon snapped coldly. "It's our life and we lived it. And it's not worth admiring and all the more dreaming about it. Believe me."

The next moment Lucy saw only her own reflection before her. Natsu had covered the mirror from his side. Suddenly it was empty and cold. The warmth that the mirror had radiated disappeared as if it hadn't been there at all.

The family cutlery was lying on the chest of drawers.

The clocks continued to tick the time discordantly.

* * *

 **October 15. 1802**

Lucense Core was wrapped in a dungeon of a heavy rain and dark clouds, with thin zigzags of lightning.

All the inhabitants of the house were sitting in the big hall. Lady Annabeth sat before the merrily crackling fireplace covering her knees with a soft shawl and was completely engrossed in reading a book. The fire was reflected in the thin lens of her glasses.

Levy and Lucy were sitting near her on a French sofa made of cherry wood. Miss McGarden was embroidering peonies while her friend was rereading the sonnets by Shakespeare. A marvelous piano melody resounded throughout the room. Lisanna was abandoning herself to the music to give pleasure to Lady Annabeth. Mirajane and Elfman were listening in amazement to their sister.

The butler was standing at the door in a dignified manner, making sure everyone was comfortable. Laughter was heard from the kitchen. The servants and footmen had decided to play some games.

"My little bird," Lady Annabeth broke the comfortable silence, putting away the book and attracting her granddaughter's attention. "Do you know Mister Fernandes?"

Lucy closed her book, looking at her grandmother in surprise.

"I know a good friend of my father, James Fernandes, whom I had a chance to meet just once."

"Do you know someone named Jellal Fernandes?"

"No, granny," Lucy responded, not understanding what was the point of this conversation. "What caused your interest?"

Lady Annabeth sighed heavily, fixing her gaze upon the burning fire.

"Jude sent me a letter, informing me that Jellal Fernandes would visit the estate to hunt pheasants in the area."

"So what is the problem?"

Lady Annabeth waved her hand vaguely. Judging by the established silence and the deep thoughtfulness seen on her face, she didn't want to share with the others.

Lucy looked out the window. The rain was pattering mercilessly against the glass and it wasn't going to stop within the next few hours. While in the mirror, hanging above the fireplace, the sunshine was penetrating into the halls of the palace and the echo of birds singing could be heard.

Involuntarily her thoughts carried her to the mirror hidden behind the canopy and her new friend who could brighten up the dullness of a rainy day with the sun in his kingdom and interesting stories that he shared with her.

The book was forgotten on the sofa.

In surprise, Levy followed with her eyes the figure of her friend leaving.

* * *

In the attic the sounds of the rain were heard even more than in the living room. Here they mixed into a fanciful melody with the ticking of the clocks that stood by the window. Lucy slowly approached the mirror, withdrawing the velvet canopy with a familiar movement.

There came a breath of warm air.

Bright sunshine and a light wind penetrated the lonely tower, stirring the silk fabric on the floor. With her eyes Lucy sadly followed the fluffy clouds on the endless blue sky, feeling the contrast between their worlds as never before.

Natsu was sitting on the floor in his usual form, engrossed in drawing something on a parchment. Everything was as usual, except for an unexpected guest in the chamber of the dragon – a cat with smooth blue fur and snow-white wings, the feathers of which were fluttering sensitively with the breaths of wind. The cat was whispering something, pointing at the parchment with its paw, and it amazed Lucy so much that she couldn't suppress a surprised exclamation.

The dragon and the cat raised their eyes sharply and it didn't escape Lucy that Natsu covered his parchment abruptly.

"Oh, Lucy!" the dragon exclaimed, smiling. "Happy, I told you about Lucy. Lucy, this is Happy. My best friend, companion-in-arms and concurrently Exceed."

At the last word all the attention of the girl was directed to the cat at once. She has read about the Exceeds – magic creatures who could speak and fly and also, but very rarely, take a human form. The Exceed in front of her was a big cat with a long flexible tail, wide smile and childish mischief in his eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Luigi!" Happy's voice was high, like a child's one.

Lucy shifted her gaze to Natsu, surprised, correcting softly.

"I'm Lucy".

Natsu frowned, nudging his friend in the side.

"I told you that she is Lucy," he muttered.

"You have been remembering her name for two hours," the cat squeaked with perfect calm, looking at the girl and covering his mouth with his paws, whispered as if in secret, "You used up three parchments!"

"It's not true!" the dragon protested, folding his arms resentfully. At this very moment he was looking like a child who hadn't been given marshmallow sticks. This comparison made the girl smile warmly. Even a deadly dragon sometimes can look like a normal human.

The Exceed squeaked something in a low voice and the face of the dragon turned red. Meanwhile Lucy looked around the room. Dozens of parchments with strange schemes, inkpots and a few broken feathers of pactis (these were big birds with bright plumage, looking like the feathering of the peacocks in the human world). Then she turned all her attention to the Exceed again and a question formed in her head at once:

"Isn't it forbidden for you to have visitors?"

Natsu, who was muttering something to the cat, became silent and shrugged his shoulders gently.

"Yes. But what is unknown to Acnologia won't do him any harm."

"Aren't you guarded?" Lucy asked, surprised by the fact that such an important prisoner was so easy to be reached.

Natsu sighed, starting to tidy the scattered parchment.

"I am, but recently not so thoroughly."

"Acnologia has become paranoid," Happy explained at the questioning look of the girl, flying around the room and helping his friend. "Practically all the guard is now busy with protecting His Royal Majesty."

Lucy looked at the cage seen from the window, which surrounded the tower. The bars were thick, but as she heard about the strength of the dragons, it shouldn't have been an obstacle for Natsu. So why was he still here?

"Because," the dragon replied and Lucy realized with surprise that she had asked her question aloud, "the tower is not only surrounded by the cage but also by ancient magic. That is why Acnologia doesn't worry much about my safety. He understands perfectly well that my escape is meaningless and I won't do such a stupid thing."

Happy sat on his friend's shoulder, folding his wings behind his back.

"But for the Exceeds this magic is harmless, so I can easily fly to this place."

"It's unfair to keep you here," the girl whispered, feeling sadness for this dragon who had had to grow up in the isolation of the tower. Far from home, deprived of all his ties of blood.

"Life itself," Natsu looked into Lucy's eyes, "is an unfair thing."

There was something in his look that the girl could characterize as… a struggle? As if the young man in front of her was struggling with this sad axiom. Lucy could finally understand who Natsu Dragneel was by his nature. A fighter, fighting for justice, not the prisoner who accepted his destiny.

"cough, cough," Happy broke the extended silence, measuring them with a strange unreadable look.

Natsu fussed and Lucy turned her eyes away.

"Oh, it's raining on your side!" the dragon changed the topic. "Here it will rain only once in a year and only for one hundred moons, by the way…"

Lucy became a frequent guest in the attic. She sat in front of the mirror for a long time, immersed into captivating conversations with the dragon of the Scarlet House. Natsu wasn't spoiled by social life, so these hours, spent with the human beyond the mirror, were considered a gift of destiny.

For Lucy, who was enchanted by the world of the dragons since the early childhood, communication with Natsu became a new fascinating experience. Despite his being isolated from the rest of the world for virtually all of his life, he was an interesting companion. Natsu could tell her about literature and painting for hours, reciting her complete poems from the books standing on the shelves.

"What else should I have been doing in solitary confinement?" Natsu asked once. "The only entertainment for me has always been books… I was destined to inherit the throne and protect my kingdom, but in my whole life I've never taken part in a real battle."

At some point Lucy realized that Natsu had stopped to interest her only as a dragon and a prince deprived of his family. At that moment, looking at Natsu and Happy fooling around, listening to Natsu's reflections about the two worlds and the differences in their cultures, indignantly reproaching him for his unbalanced ration, Lucy realized that Natsu had become a friend to her. Not Natsu Dragneel from the Scarlet house, a majestic dragon from history textbooks, but friend Natsu, who ate like a child, often teased her and told her fascinating magical stories that she wanted to listen to over and over.

This realization flooded her soul with warmth and settled in a soft smile when she understood it.

She was sitting by the window. The bright disc of the moon was shining in the night sky.

This place hadn't seen such bright stars for a long time.

* * *

 **November 25. 1802**

With the coming of cold weather to Cornwall the life in the estate became noticeably quieter. The only significant event among the grey routine was the arrival of Jellal Fernandes, about who Lucy's father had written back in the beginning of October.

He was a tall stately gentleman with fair skin and bright piercing blue eyes. He easily jumped off a wonderful Scottish stallion, despite his warm coat with fur trimmings and gallantly kissed the hands of Lady Annabeth and Lucy. It gave the elderly woman a good impression of him.

Jellal was the only son of Marquis Fernandes and, as Lucy had heard, one of the most eligible bachelors in the whole kingdom. There was an excellent estate in Essex with fifteen thousand in annual income at his disposal. It was already enough for a queue of young girls wishing to secure a future. Lucy, who didn't consider it necessary to follow the eligible bachelors, learned this all from Levy.

"He visited the reception party at the Eucliffe," Levy whispered to her. "The Corona sisters almost fought for the possibility to have the first dance with him."

Mister Fernandes gave Lucy a positive impression. He was smart and witty, but he didn't have that mincing insolence, proper to his surroundings, and it won everybody's favor. Jellal knew a lot about horses, music and art. He was an interesting person to talk with. Lucy, cloistered in her Grandmother's house because of the approaching winter, was happy to have a new acquaintance. He sometimes brightened up her evenings, when she wasn't spending time embroidering with Levy or in conversations with Natsu in the attic.

"So this Jellal is an eligible bachelor?" the dragon asked during one of such conversations. Lucy, who was admiring a beautiful dress of delicately pink gauze, brought by Jellal as a present, in the reflection of the mirror, looked at Natsu in surprise.

"Of my entire story you only heard this?"

The dragon, who was diligently polishing his nails, shrugged his shoulders vaguely, without raising his eyes.

"Well, it doesn't seem that this Fernandes came only to enjoy the views," he grumbled. "You understand it, don't you?"

Lucy scoffed.

"Of course I understand it. Father definitely expects my marriage to the marquise."

"So you don't mind?" Natsu asked, finally looking into Lucy's eyes.

"I don't want to get married," the girl said quietly, "until I meet a worthy person. Is Mister Fernandes worthy? I can't say after a week of knowing him. Time will tell."

With that the subject was dropped.

At the same time Lucy started to notice more often that the dragon was hiding something from her. The number of the used parchments was growing. He got lost in his own thoughts sometimes, staying silent for a long time and staring at one spot.

He didn't reveal the reasons of such behavior, but Lucy wasn't blind. The quiet whispering of Natsu and Happy looked like important discussions, new objects of unknown use appeared in the tower, and vibes of worry from the dragon made her draw certain conclusions. These conclusions didn't favor her peace of mind. Lucy understood that she didn't have the right to interfere in Natsu's life. But any thought of danger awaiting him and the project that he was working out, whatever it was, filled her with borderless fear, almost panic.

What could the dragon, who had been imprisoned for so many years, be planning?

What reckless thoughts could visit him when he was on his own, with only solitude for company?

Lucy started to fear that Natsu followed the "I have nothing to lose" path and she was really afraid that this path didn't have a happy ending.

The first snow came to Cornwall.

Lucy felt that with the first snow something started to blossom inside of her. But she couldn't tell what, even to herself.

* * *

 **December 20. 1802**

Before Christmas Eve, Lucense Core turned into a real Christmas fairytale. Lucy was looking, with a smile, at the tall Christmas tree in the living room with large, skillfully painted balls. Mistletoe hung all over the house. The smell of pine and ripe mandarins filled the house and Lucy was waiting for the holiday to come with a fainting heart.

Once, during a traditional midday walk along the snow-covered spaces of the park in the company of Jellal, with Levy slightly lagging behind trying not to disturb them, Lucy decided to ask a question that had been torturing her for a long time. Despite the fact that the purpose of Mister Fernandes' arrival was clear since the very beginning, he didn't make any attempts to become closer to her, to stay alone with her or to speak about marriage.

"I, as well as you, am not inclined to marriage," Jellal answered her question, pacing over the crispy, blindingly white snow.

Lucy, surprised by this statement, exhaled, feeling a light frosty tingling on her cheeks.

"So why have you come to Lucense Core?"

"I won't conceal that the intention of our marriage was the decision of our families," Jellal said with a smile. "My father made me come back from my trip through South America for the sake of coming to Cornwall and meeting you. But, since you ask me, I don't want to get married. At least, not at my father's order," he turned his head to her and in his bright blue eyes warmth was splashing that Lucy could characterize only as brotherly tenderness. The reciprocal feeling echoed in her chest while Jellal, gazing at the endless blue sky, dreamingly whispered the words that became imprinted on her memory for a long time. "You can consider me a fool, milady, but I'm one of those romantics that are desperately sure that real love exists. I haven't found mine yet."

Comfortable silence stretched out between them. Surely, in a big world their thoughts would arouse a wave of indignation, but Lucy was glad that she had found a like-minded person. At some point she realized that even if Jellal wasn't against this marriage, in spite of all the merits of the marquise… She would say no, however much her father insisted and her family and peers judged her.

She didn't love him.

Something blossomed inside of her. Something reminiscent of the green forest grass, sakura flowers and bright scarlet peonies. Something that she wasn't able to admit yet.

"So what are you going to tell your father?" Lucy asked after some time.

Jellal shrugged his shoulders in a carefree way, gallantly offering her his hand, helping her onto a small mound. From there they had a wonderful view of the coniferous forest, covered with a snow cape, and the untouched snow was shining like millions of diamonds.

"I don't want to think about it," he said. "At least, not now."

It was the first winter with such snow.

That winter Lucy realized, looking at the snow-white landscapes out of the roundish attic window, that the only person with whom she would like to share these moments was beyond the mirror.

She felt very lonely for the first time that winter.

* * *

 **July 6. 1803**

Time passed at a relentless speed. It seemed that only yesterday she was dancing to the sounds of fortepiano on Christmas and now she was already enjoying the greenery blossoming again and with the summer reasserting its rights.

The past several months seemed to be the quietest in Lucy's life. They were filled with the sounds of a violin in the skillful hands of Jellal, the laughter of the servants and the soft voice of her granny reciting aloud her favorite extracts from books. Sounds of rustling pages in Levy's hands and Lisanna's playing the piano. There were flavored buns and rolls from Mirajane, who served new recipes every Sunday, amazing her masters with the diversity of the tastes.

Lucy had grown accustomed to this place after almost a year in Lucense Core; to the foggy landscapes and branchy greenery and to the halls of the palace and the proud silent dragons.

But the most important was her little secret – a big mirror, in which a lonely tower, encircled by a cage, was reflected. To one dragon who became her real friend and companion.

Lucy couldn't imagine her life without the company of Natsu Dragneel. Thus, slowly, step by step, coming to an empty attic, Lucy let the sprouts grow within her that entwined round her heart and took root deeply. Now she could readily admit, only to herself in the silence of her room, before bed, when even the spirits couldn't hear her, it seemed that…

"I fell in love."

The knowledge wasn't unexpected for her. As soon as she realized it, everything fell into place. It seemed that she had always known it, but just tried to protect herself from new worries.

Because there were reasons to worry.

Day by day Natsu was drifting away. He withdrew into himself and Lucy couldn't tell for sure what the reason was, though all the hints were already laid out in her head. She just needed to connect the points to get the answer. However, Lucy was afraid. Afraid with all her soul. Afraid to understand Natsu's plan. Afraid to hear these words from his lips. Afraid to lose him afterwards.

In one of the evenings Jellal voiced a wise thought:

"Have you ever thought, Lucy, of how persistently a person tries to deny his problems? Only when they knock at his windows, only then he pulls the bandage off his eyes, screaming that he wasn't warned about it, but it's too late. If only he had taken the bandage off a bit earlier… Well, maybe, things would have been different. But there are no "ifs" in history."

Even though Lucy couldn't remember the subject of that conversation, she remembered those words for a long time. During a lot of nights since then, lying in her bed, she thought of them, realizing with surprise that she was that blind person who didn't want to become capable of seeing. Only because she was afraid of what she would see.

Since the very early morning on the sixth of July, Lucy, not understanding why, felt anxiety filling her heart. Thick clouds gathered in the sky, promising heavy rain. Elfman drove the horses into the stable. Wendy and Sherria closed the hothouses in the garden.

Lucy didn't understand the reasons for her anxiety, but her heart seemed to have a premonition about something.

"There is a letter for you, Milord," Freed said, coming into the dining room and handing a letter to Jellal who was having breakfast.

Lucy, not feeling like eating, just had a glass of water. Lady Annabeth, not saying anything, was anxiously watching her granddaughter who hadn't touch her breakfast. A fresh wind penetrated the opened windows of the dining room, which brought the smell of thunderstorm. Lucy looked at the clouds, appearing on the horizon, and there was only one thought in her head: "A storm is coming."

"Father is sending you his best regards," said Jellal with a smile to the old lady.

Lucy turned her gaze to him just at the moment when the smile on his face faded. Ominous shadows flashed in his eyes and a thin wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows. For a moment, just for one moment, he looked into her eyes and Lucy felt that the first thunderclaps boomed. But not in the sky, but here, in the room.

"Excuse me."

Lucy got up sharply, leaving the dining room. Now she wanted only one thing – to find herself in the attic, in front of the mirror to hear the soft voice of Natsu, who could soothe her, who would tell her that all her worries were nonsense.

She couldn't tell what was in the letter Jellal got, but it was eating away at her, without letting her think reasonably. She wanted to find herself at her shelter as soon as possible. Where she would be safe. Next to Natsu.

"Lucy, wait!" Jellal called to her as she went upstairs. He was out of breath. He was holding a letter in his hands and there were so many emotions in his eyes that Lucy couldn't unravel any of them.

"Did you want something?"

Lucy's voice sounded surprisingly quiet, though there was a storm raging inside of her.

Jellal hesitated for a moment, fumbling the letter, pulling himself together at once, confidently meeting her eyes.

"I would like to ask you to keep me company. In the garden. Far from the eyes and ears of everyone."

Everything inside of Lucy told her to turn around and continue her planned way to Natsu, but Jellal's look, begging and practically desperate, deafened the voice of her heart.

"Of course. I don't see any reasons to refuse."

Jellal exhaled sharply, clenching his hands into fists, crumpling the letter.

It was chilly outside and Lucy wrapped herself up into her shawl tighter. Ducks were swimming quietly in the pond and every thunderclap brought ripples to the water surface.

Lucy was waiting for the speech of the man with her heart sinking, secretly understanding what it would be about. Jellal was walking slightly ahead of her, clenching his hands franticly. It seemed that his entire figure expressed tension. And his tension was transmitted to her.

"Lucy," Jellal stopped abruptly, meeting her eyes. Resolution was blazing in his look.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember our conversation about the marriage?"

"As I recall, your opinion about it was categorically negative," the girl said quietly, feeling the internal tremble.

"And do you remember your question about what I will do when my father loses his patience and requires an immediate wedding?"

Lucy's eyes glided over a white sheet of paper. Even before Jellal had opened the envelope, she already seemed to guess.

"Yes, of course," she whispered, raising her head. "So what have you decided?"

The peal of thunder rumbled across the garden again and a few raindrops fell on their faces. But neither he nor she paid any attention.

Jellal was looking into her eyes, sadly and remotely. There was no love in him and he seemed to try to find in her at least something that would give him a drop of that passion, which has the name of this feeling. But his look was still filled only with brotherly love. Chaste, quiet and tender, like the whisper of the autumn wind that gently hugs.

Finally, Jellal slowly dropped to one knee, carefully taking her hands.

From the impenetrably grey sky the heavy rain started to pour. Lucy felt her dress and shawl getting wet. She felt the wet fabric, the hair stuck to her cheeks, and hot teardrops running down her face. She felt her heart tearing to pieces when Jellal, shouting the thunder down, said:

"Lucy Heartfilia, will you give me the honor to become my wife?"

Lucy shook her head sharply, without removing her hands from his. She was shaking her head with all her might. Loud and harsh sobs were escaping her throat without stopping. She didn't want to feel it. She didn't want to reply and didn't want this moment to come. Her only wish was to destroy the boundary between the two worlds and feel the warm arms of Natsu.

Jellal got up from his knees. His dark hair was stuck to his forehead and he seemed to be crying himself. He grabbed her shoulders tightly, shaking her and making her look into his eyes. His voice sounded confident though she felt that he was trembling as well.

"Listen, Lucy, accept it. Accept it and you will get the most understanding husband. If you refuse, your father will choose another and will force you to get married. In our day, however sad it is, you don't have the right to choose. I… I will not dare to touch you. I will only be your friend and brother. Accept it, Lucy, and I will buy an estate next to this one. Accept it and you will be able to come here whenever you want. If it was possible, I would let you take that mirror beside which you spend so much time," Lucy's eyes widened in astonishment but Jellal didn't pay attention to this, going on in a quieter voice: "I'm sincerely happy for you. You have found your true love and its ill evil fate that you can't be with your chosen one. But you can give your hand to me, while I'll leave your heart to your disposal."

The rain continued to pour down heavily, but Lucy didn't feel it. She only felt the firm hands of Jellal on her shoulders and the emptiness, swallowing up her soul somewhere between her ribs. She felt that she was falling into an endless abyss and the only thing that didn't let her crash was Natsu. The image of Natsu carved on her heart. Natsu, so distant and unreal that Lucy burst into tears harder than before, burying her face into Jellal's shoulder.

"I'm afraid, Jellal," the girl shouted, squeezing the man's arms till they hurt. But he only held her closer, letting her have her say. "I'm so afraid that I will never be able to touch or hug him. I'm so afraid that he will always remain just a reflection in the mirror and I'm so afraid of the future without him," Lucy sobbed, adding in a low voice: "Because I love him so much."

"Did you tell him about it?" Jellal whispered somewhere above her ear.

Lucy moved away, meeting his eyes. The rain and tears washed his face, but she could see a soft smile and his eyes shining with warmness.

"No," she exhaled.

"Lucy," he pushed a wet lock of hair away from her face. "True love doesn't come to everyone. Not everyone is destined to know its intoxicating taste and the pain that it brings. You can't neglect it as if it means nothing. You should catch your chance by the tail and tell him about it. Tell him what you feel, because I'm sure he feels the same."

These words became an encouragement for her. She rushed towards the house without paying attention either to the heavy rain or to her improper look. Only the mirror mattered, the dragon beyond it and the words ready to escape her lips.

Her heart thumped heavily against her ribs. Foreboding, ominous and obtrusive, the feeling of impending doom was only getting stronger. A terrible thought settled in her head that she could be late. Her running got faster, though she didn't understand what could become her obstacle. Her heart was making her hurry and she was racing, listening to its call.

In the attic the sound of the heavy rain was muffled.

The wet shawl fell to the floor. Lucy slowly walked to the mirror. As slowly as she had hurried. Now, looking at the scarlet velvet hiding the mirror from prying eyes, the girl felt overwhelming fear. Fear that the room in the reflection would be empty, because Lucy knew that Natsu was planning an escape. Ever since the moment they met he had been plunged into schemes and unclear messages, into quiet conversations with Happy and thoughts he held inside. Lucy wasn't blind and the thirst for life in the eyes of the dragon was stronger than anything else he wanted.

But she couldn't fear forever and confidently stepping forward, she threw the canopy onto the floor. The parade of dust motes shot up.

Lucy dropped to her knees in relief, cupping her mouth with her hand, trying to suppress the sobbing that had started again. Natsu was sitting on the velvet pillows in a familiar way, reading some book. He was here. He didn't leave and all the fears subsided when she met his eyes, filled with the forest greenery.

Natsu, seeing Lucy's state, threw the book away at once, rushing to the mirror.

"What happened?"

Lucy shook her head, not finding the strength to answer yet. Fears and anxiety took too much strength from her.

"Has anyone offended you?" Natsu persisted.

Lucy smiled, feeling hot tears on her cheeks. The wet hem of her dress was dripping. Her skin broke out in goosebumps and only now she noticed that she was chilled to the bones. Gathering her remaining strength, Lucy slowly moved to the mirror, without taking her eyes off Natsu's. All she wanted was to be as close to him as possible.

Natsu, still worried and scared, watched the girl, soaked and cold, crawling to the mirror, reaching out her pale and shivering hand to him. She touched the cold surface of the mirror. A few drops ran down the mirror surface and Natsu, led by his own feeling, touched the mirror from his side. At that spot, where they both wanted to feel the warmth of each other's hand, was only the cold mirror and a few tears fell from Lucy's eyes.

"I…" she couldn't find the strength. Sobs were gripping her throat without letting her say a word. Natsu's eyes, so warm and dear, in which there still was a question, gave her strength. She couldn't leave him without an answer. "I love you."

At that moment she saw something blaze up and die out at once in the eyes of the dragon. The hand beyond the mirror clenched a bit as if wanting to grab hers, and the lithe scaly tail slowly moved toward her, touching the mirror. Though Lucy couldn't feel his warmth, something spread inside of her. Something very warming.

Natsu looked at his tail and a sad smile settled on his lips.

"I can't even kiss you," he whispered, while the tip of his tail was sadly scratching the mirror.

A tiny sunbeam flashed within Lucy's heart.

"So you?.."

"Of course," Natsu smiled, meeting her eyes. And at that moment, despite the physical borders, they were close to each other. For only one moment, when Natsu whispered the cherished words, she could swear she felt the warmth of his hand, though it was just her imagination. "I love you too."

This is how they fell asleep: at the sound of the rain in the two worlds; at the quiet breathing of each other, without taking their hands off the mirrors, not wanting to leave each other, at the quiet consent of Natsu when Lucy told about Jellal's proposal in a whisper. At the measured heartbeat of each other, lulled by the rattle of the raindrops and the warmth from declarations.

In the morning Natsu's chamber was empty.

On the seventh of July 1803 he decided to extort freedom for himself and Lucy was looking at the silks spreading on the floor, golden dishes and clouded sky.

Her hand slowly slipped off the mirror's surface.

Her heart ached in a familiar way.

* * *

 **July 23. 1803**

"Looking in the mirrors for entire days won't change anything," Jellal whispered, softly touching her shoulders. "Lady Annabeth said that you didn't have breakfast again."

Lucy didn't know what to reply. Actually, she didn't care. In these rainy days after Natsu's disappearance the only thing that interested her were the reflections of the halls in the palace. Looking for any clue or disturbance that would give her a hint about his whereabouts. Lately the dragons had been really expressing more disturbance than ever before. Once, Lucy had a chance to have a peek at the dragon king who for the first time during her stay at the estate came out of his chamber. Happy was right. Acnologia had become paranoid.

Lucy had seen the portraits of the dragon king many times, but when she saw him with her own eyes it was indescribable. He seemed to be so huge with his black wings sprawling like shadows. His tail followed him like a lithe snake. His hair was more snow-white than the snow itself, and his look was severe and merciless. His every movement breathed with hidden power and seeing this huge warrior, hardened by thousands of battles. Lucy wanted to scream because Natsu couldn't oppose him! The weak dragon imprisoned in the dungeon for all his life couldn't go against this merciless beast! But this was exactly what he was going to do. It couldn't be otherwise…

Despair, heavy and all-absorbing, twined around her soul, not letting her move. A few days in a row she stared unblinking in numerous mirrors of the estate. She prayed that the quiet corridors remained quiet and Natsu, even if they weren't destined to see each other again, escaped somewhere far away, where Acnologia couldn't find him.

But contrary to her wishes, day by day more and more dragons filled the Emerald palace and in a general buzz of voices she could discern the words that pricked her heart. "Escaped prince", "danger"… "war".

It was terrible words.

It was followed by the other one, chilling all the corners of her soul. _Death._

And the most terrible thing was that Lucy was just an outside observer who could do absolutely nothing. Not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't. The borders between the worlds let her just look, not take part. That is why the dragons in the palace stopped paying attention to the people beyond the mirror, speaking loudly and clearly, arguing and disputing.

The smell of changes floated in the air.

But Lucy didn't know if they were for the better.

Thinking about it Lucy ran the tips of her fingers over her engagement ring. Simple, but refined, with a neat small diamond. The ring was weightless, but to Lucy it seemed that it pressed upon her with an unbearable burden.

Their wedding was scheduled for September. Her father had already sent her the letter, expressing his desire for her to come back to London, but Jellal, understanding the state of his fiancée, postponed their arrival as much as he could. Lucy was grateful to him for that. For the umpteenth time asking the heavens, what had she done to deserve such an understanding friend who decided to give up his dream for her…

Lucy turned around, meeting the worried eyes of Jellal. She asked herself again, why he would do this? Why did he decide to help her to his own loss, against his principles, depriving himself of the possibility to have his dream come true – to spend his life with a person who he would love? And for the umpteenth time she asked herself if it was selfish of her to accept his proposal, dooming Jellal to an eternity with her?

"Don't think about it, milady," he said and when her eyes widened in surprise, he just smiled. "Everything is written on your face."

"I'm afraid, Jellal…"

"I understand," he nodded. "And I want you to know that my decision was purely mine. I once told you that I am that rare fool, though I would call myself a lucky man, who still hasn't lost faith in the sincere feeling," Jellal sat in front of her, propping his chin on his hand. His eyes became dreamy as if he was the poet who had found his Muse. "Once, walking along the corridors of this estate, I came across a small attic and I would have just passed by, but suddenly, oh wonder, I heard low voices. Speaking frankly, I'm still ashamed of my following act. I entered as quietly as possible, not to give away my presence, of course, and saw a wonderful picture. Next to a big mirror, from floor to ceiling, a girl was sitting. She had an airy white dress on, in her marvelous golden locks the sunbeams, rare for these places, were reflected. This girl was speaking to a dragon who was reflected in the mirror's surface. The dragon was stately, handsome, though lacking some manners, but… charming in his own way. They were so immersed in their conversation that they didn't notice anything happening around them. It seemed that even if war had started, they wouldn't have moved, continuing to look into each other's eyes. This was the only thing that mattered for them then. I stood in my shelter, which was a big wardrobe and understood everything at once. The love that I had been looking for so desperately and couldn't find in any beautiful lady, however many lands I had traveled, was here. In this small attic, in the reflection of a mirror. In a young girl and stately dragon, for whom there couldn't be any obstacles… but for the mirror, separating them."

Lucy felt hot tears filling her eyes with every word Jellal said.

"Then," he went on softly, taking her hands in his, "I promised myself to do everything possible I could to protect their strong feelings for one another. Lucy, stop reproaching yourself for my decisions. Perhaps, in my lifetime I won't meet the woman I could love, but on my deathbed I won't regret anything. Because I will know that at least I have become a guide for somebody else's true and genuine love…"

"Jellal…"

Suddenly her words were drowned in the shouts from the corridor. Lucy and Jellal immediately rushed towards the shouting of Lady Annabeth. She was in the living room, clutching a silver cross in her hands, staring at the reflection of the throne hall in the dragon palace.

Everything was on fire. The heavy velvet tapestries woven with shining emerald dragons, high columns and marble floor. The fire was everywhere. Bright red, devouring everything in its way. There was no one in the throne hall, but two dragons. It didn't prevent Lucy from hearing the loud shouts from beyond the walls of the palace. A fierce battle was going on there.

Before them in the throne hall, circling around, two huge dragons were facing each other. The black one, like a shadow, with emerald green patterns on his sprawling wings and the red one, like blood, with bright and piercing amber eyes. Lucy recognized the disheveled long hair, spreading over the body of the red dragon.

It was Natsu.

Her heart sank.

The time slowed down its pace and there was only the throne hall in the reflection of the mirror's surface. There was the frightful dragon king. And there was Natsu with a bloody wound on his side, dirt and soot on the scarlet scales and smoke coming out of his nostrils. Natsu, limping, but trying to look strong. Natsu, the sight of whom made Lucy want to dash forward, to be close to him, to protect him from the danger approaching him.

"You are a fool," Acnologia's voice resounded like thunder and everyone in the room shuddered from the blood-curdling sound. The emerald patterns on his wings became brighter with every word he said. "You are a fool, Natsu, because you decided to escape from the tower. You are a fool because you decided to go against me. And you are a fool if you think that you can beat me."

Lady Annabeth squeezed the cross in her hand tighter. Jellal stood a bit closer to Lucy while she couldn't look away from the scarlet dragon's eyes. And quickly, she understood Natsu wasn't going to give up.

But the most important thing was that he wasn't going to lose.

And at the moment when she realized it, two more dragons and Happy, so small against these creatures, burst into the throne hall. The dragons stood behind Natsu, spreading their wings and baring their fangs. The walls of the palace shook with a crash. In a vaulted window was seen a huge sword and not less huge hand gripping it. A thought flashed across the girl's mind: "A giant?"

"It's you who is the fool," Natsu said, following the example of his friends and spreading his wings. The dragon, who could laugh in a carefree way, reason about totally stupid things with a serious look and act like a child, was now a ferocious beast, inspiring respect and awe. His strong body shed heat and power, nobleness and greatness. Lucy caught her breath as Natsu took a heavy step forward, not paying attention to a new deafening crash. "It's you, who is the fool, Acnologia, if you decided that I was going to fight you alone. Unlike you, I still know the meaning of the word 'friendship'."

Dragons and elves, dwarves and centaurs stood behind Natsu. Behind the dragon were magicians gripping swagger sticks in their hands ready to fight and small fairies hovering in the air.

This army, united by the will of only one dragon, was standing resolutely behind the back of the crown prince ready to fight for the throne belonging to him according to his birthright. The resolution was flaming in their eyes. A resolution that Acnologia didn't have in his.

Though the dragon king was stronger than the prince, he wasn't stronger than the will of thousands.

The war was lost.

The cross of Lady Annabeth fell on her chest, when she whispered with tears filling her eyes:

"He made it."

The servants were standing by the door, curiously gaping at the events unfolding in the mirror's surface, but Lucy didn't pay attention to anyone. Her eyes were fixed on Natsu. On the dragon who won.

The most important thing was that he survived. The rest didn't matter for her.

Later, in the evening of that day, she was sitting at the mirror that had become so dear to her in the silence of the attic, which was wrapped in a magic aura of victory that night.

Lucy was sitting close to the mirror, leaning against its cold surface. On the other side, Natsu was sitting in the same position. Their fingers touched each other, and though they only felt the smooth mirror surface, they kept running their fingers over it. If the mirror was warm, perhaps, for a moment, it would be possible to imagine that there were no obstacles between them.

"When are you leaving?" Natsu broke the comfortable silence.

"In three days," she whispered. It seemed that any sound could break this aura of peace, in which Lucy wanted to float forever.

"I would like to meet him."

"Why?"

"I must know whom I'm giving you to…"

Lucy opened her eyes, moving away from the mirror. Natsu didn't look angry or irritated. Endless fatigue not suitable for his youth was reflected in his face.

"You should understand that it's just…"

"Fiction?" Natsu asked, running his hand through his hair. "But despite this, I will never be able to be as close to you as he can. Who knows at what moment the warmth of the human body will become closer to you than the cold mirror?"

Lucy's hand slipped to her lap and her look sparkled with sincere indignation.

"You don't need to doubt the strength of my feelings, Your Majesty," she spat out through her gritted teeth. "I am confident in myself that no human man, whatever merits he has, would be able to replace you in my heart. Maybe for the dragons it means something different, but for people, especially true ladies, who I relate myself to, don't throw around the words about true love. And if you still have doubts, then I will repeat again and will repeat it as many times as necessary, so that you stopped worrying yourself with such thoughts." Lucy put her hand on the mirror again, where his face was reflected. A soft smile settled on her lips when she whispered firmly, "I love you, Natsu. Not Jellal or anyone else will ever be able to become the master of my heart. It was given to you a long time ago."

Natsu was watching Lucy's emotional speech in amazement and something flashed in his eyes. Lucy would say that it was understanding.

His lips spread in a soft smile. He moved closer to the mirror, pressing his forehead against it. At this moment he seemed incredibly close and Lucy couldn't help repeating his action.

Their eyes were in front of each other.

They looked deep into one another's eyes. With words unspoken, there was more in this look than either could say aloud.

Finally, some minutes or maybe hours later , Natsu whispered,

"I love you too. And that is why… Sorry for starting this conversation. I had to make sure that your feelings are as strong as mine."

"It's ok," the girl smiled, without looking away from his eyes. Pleasant warmth spread across her body, but something in Natsu's tone caused an anxiety to settle right under her heart. "Are you up to something?"

The dragon closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts. The night sky above the dragon capital was covered with clouds. Lucy had already forgotten that the rain in the kingdom had to last for one hundred moons…

"I want to renounce the dragon longevity," his quiet whisper resounded and Lucy's heart skipped a beat, "to have the possibility to grow old together with you."

"No!" she exclaimed at once, desperately grabbing the edges of the mirror. "No! Don't you dare!"

"I want it," he whispered. His face didn't change. It seemed that he expected such a reaction but wasn't going to retreat. "I want to grow old with you. I want to see you become adult and become adult myself. Not to stay a child while in your eyes the wisdom of the old age starts to appear. I want to live one short human life with you, not a long life of the dragon, the most part of which I'll spend without you."

These words echoed in her chest with aching anguish. Lucy still couldn't believe, after all that had happened, that the young man beyond the mirror, whom she had fallen in love with so suddenly and strongly, loved her too. This knowledge became unexpected for her, but at the same time a thought flashed through her mind that she had always known it. She felt with all her soul that he loved her and she didn't have any right to doubt it.

"Is it possible?" finally, after a while, she asked, relaxing.

"In my world there are giants and mermaids," Natsu grinned. "Of course it is possible."

Only one thing interested her.

"Do you really want it?"

Lucy had already given up. There was resolution in the dragon's eyes, the same as in the throne hall, when he was standing in front of Acnologia. He wouldn't retreat.

"Yes. I really want it."

At that moment, looking into Natsu's eyes, sparkling with warmth and resolution, she could whisper only one thing:

"Then I will be happy to share this life with you."

Her heart was throbbing hard in her chest. A warm feeling twisted around it and at that moment she realized, as never before, how strong her love was.

The tail of the dragon touched the mirror in a familiar gesture and Lucy turned her eyes to it.

"What does it mean?" she asked, watching the tip of the red tail, touching the mirror.

Natsu also looked at the tail, smiling.

"People kiss with their lips. Dragons – with their tails."

Suddenly this glossy tip became the center of her world, touching the mirror in a vain desire, trying to break through the only barrier between them. Subconsciously her hand touched the mirror in the same spot.

"Lucy," the dragon broke the silence. "You will soon leave this place."

"Jellal promised me that I would be able to visit you whenever I want."

"Yes, but I wouldn't like to be separated from you. Look at the corner of your mirror," she glanced down. In the very corner there was a thin, practically unnoticeable crack, which she had seen during her first visit to the attic. Natsu's lips spread in a smile. "Annabeth once accidently broke the edge of this mirror. Take the fragment."

Lucy pulled it out carefully, looking at the reflection. The tower was reflected in it as well.

"While the mirror is here," Natsu continued, "the fragment will be connected and the tower will be reflected… And I in my turn will try to come here as frequently as possible. If I can't be with you in your world, then I want to have the possibility to be near you during all of our life."

The fragment was small, with smooth edges, and Lucy thought that it could easily fit into her handbag.

"I'll take it with me," she promised, raising her head.

Natsu smiled, touching the mirror with his hand. Lucy's hand covered his.

That day went down in the history of the dragon kingdom as the day of the Scarlet rebellion. It was the day when Prince Natsu Dragneel won back his throne. The day when the former King Acnologia gave up, took off his crown, and went away to where the sun meets the horizon.

Seven days later a heavy golden crown was put on Natsu's head in the huge throne hall before his numerous subjects. Black and emerald were replaced by red and gold.

Now, in the silence of the night, he was sitting in the remote tower, in which he had spent all his life as a prisoner. Not to say goodbye to all the bad things that had happened here, but to meet all the good things that this place had given him. With a bandaged arm and leg, a couple of scars and slight scratches, he was sitting by the mirror, looking into the eyes of the human girl and feeling how unfair the world was. It seemed that here she was, so close, yet so far. He just had to reach out his hand… But the hand, ready to touch the soft skin and feel the warmth, met the mirror obstacle.

He wanted to break the mirror into a million pieces in despair. But he couldn't. Not when it gave him the light. The light that hurt, but it was already impossible to live without it.

Three days later Lucy got into the carriage together with Jellal and headed to London by the familiar highway.

A month and ten days later they got married in the church of St Sophia.

A small fragment of the mirror rested in Lady Annabeth's hands during the ceremony, but nobody suspected that through it an outside spectator was watching.

Natsu and Lucy carried their love through the years, tenderly protecting it from all the obstacles they faced; the distance and impossibility to touch each other, the laws of their worlds, traditions and values. With the growing of their wisdom and realization that for the sake of their love, they had to sacrifice something.

At the age of twenty three Lucy gave birth to a son. She named him Philip. He had light wheat-colored hair of his mother and piercing blue eyes of his father.

At the age of twenty five Natsu married Hisui E. Fiore, a pretty dragon with the wings of turquoise color. She was an heiress of the neighboring kingdom, fragile and beautiful. Hisui gave two heirs to the crown and a small princess, named after a beautiful flower – Orchid.

Life went on at its usual pace with quiet conversations reflected in two fragments of the same mirror, in the attic of the Lucense Core estate. Stories about royal affairs, the union of elves and magicians, and the war between dwarfs and giants. Whispers about parties and balls, receptions at the Marquise Eucliffe's, sharing the wedding of Freed and Mirajane, and Levy's falling in love with a stately gentleman, filling Lucy with fear.

At the age of thirty six Lucy told Natsu that Jellal finally met his true love. Her name was Erza Scarlet. A woman whose long hair was the color of rubies. She was serious and harsh, not willing to follow usual traditions. Steel could be seen in her eyes and she handled the sword better than any man.

"How he looks at her," Lucy whispered into the small fragment, combing her long hair. "I have never seen him looking at someone like this. He is really in love."

"So am I, milady," Natsu said with a smile.

As years went by, the small wrinkles started to appear in the dragon's face and it lost its youthful freshness. He was getting older unusually fast. At some point in time he realized that his wife, still beautiful and blooming, for whom twenty years were just an instant, started to look like his daughter.

At the age of forty Hisui moved into a separate chamber, after she heard from her husband and an unknown human woman in a mirror's reflection an amazing and completely unreal story. Years passed before the queen could forgive her husband.

When Lucy was forty nine, Philip married a nice and modest girl that the she liked very much. After that he went to war as a volunteer and after two years he came back with a medal on his chest and a deep scar on his cheek. When she was fifty four, Philip and Asuka gave Lucy and Jellal grandchildren – two boys who became a true joy to her.

Natsu became a wise and fair king. Lucy – a true lady and homemaker.

But despite the obstacle separating them, they loved each other as strongly and genuinely as long ago, when they were young and filled with the faith of true love.

When Lucy was seventy, Jellal left this world. Her grief lasted for months. He was her true friend and loyal companions during all their life. A month later Erza passed away, not being able to bear her loss.

It was then, looking at her reflection and seeing her platinum locks and her face speckled with wrinkles, Lucy realized that her end would come soon too.

The last years of her life was spent at Lucense Core in the familiar places with coniferous forest and thick fog drifting across the field. With the smell of rose hip and rosemary that wrapped every corner of the estate along with the ghosts of the past.

And every evening she sat in front of the mirror in the attic, listening to the amazing stories of Natsu, as long ago…

On the seventh of July 1861 the clocks, ticking the time discordantly, stopped their motion simultaneously and the attic plunged into silence. The two of them, the human and the dragon, fell into an endless sleep, from which it was impossible to wake up.

The same as always. They leaned against the mirror from both sides, which had always been an impassable obstacle for them.

At the same second both hearts stopped, but before this, each of them had wished for only one thing: to be in the other world, in the other universe to find themselves in a place where there were no obstacles which they couldn't surmount.

Their wish was granted.

* * *

 **6 years old.**

Lucy came back to the surface abruptly from the world of dreams.

Behind the window the sunrise was just coming into its own. It pleasantly smelled of freshness, rose hip and rosemary in the room – the way her mother smelled.

Lucy's eyes flitted uneasily over the room. She couldn't remember her dream, but her small heart was fluttering like the wings of hummingbird. However much the princess tried to remember her dream, the blurred images didn't want to take a clear shape.

She leaned back on the pillows again, closing her eyes.

A thought about visiting the forest of Fireflies appeared in her head, because only there the girl could truly relax.

"Maybe this way I can remember this strange dream," she whispered into the emptiness.

Sunbeams covered the Scarlet Kingdom and the Kingdom of Fiore, preparing the encounter, intended by Destiny.

The Swans woke up.

 **The End.**


End file.
